Anura makes final journey tomorrow

KOTTE: Colleagues of former Minister and one time Speaker Anura Bandaranaike bade farewell to their colleague in Parliament as his remains were brought to Sri Jayawardenapura Parliament Complex yesterday at 11.35 a.m. for members and staff to pay their last respects.

The remains were kept in Parliament where Bandaranaike was a member since 1977, until 12.45 p.m.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe received the remains of their departed colleague as the cortege arrived at the Parliament complex at 11.35 am.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka, Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara, Chief Government Whip Minister Jeyaraj Feranadopulle and Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera joined the President and the Opposition Leader accompanying the remains to Parliament.

MPs representing all political parties paid their last respects and conveyed their condolences to the family members including former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Sunethra Bandaranaike.

The cortege left the Parliament premises at 12.45 p.m. to reach the ancestral home of Anura Bandaranaike, in Horagolla. The funeral will take place at Horagolla tomorrow evening.