Co-cabinet spokesmen Rajitha Senaratne and Dayasiri Jayasekara told the media today that the president made a ‘painful’ remark and left the meeting to ‘answer a call of nature.’

The meeting continued after he returned, they claimed.

All media reported today that at the outset of the cabinet meeting, the president made a statement expressing his displeasure over his being criticized by UNP ministers and MPs and for taking decisions without consulting him.

Senaratne admitted the president made such a statement, but said he did not leave the meeting in protest, as reported.

He went onto say that anyone in the cabinet would leave whenever there was a call of nature, and that he too did that yesterday. The president made the statement, but he left to answer a call of nature, he said.

‘It is most painful when attacked within’

Noting that it was most painful when attacked within, Senaratne said the prime minister said at the meeting that he would warn those who had criticized the president.

It was also agreed that the SLFP too, would not criticize the PM, he added.

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