Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has asked the President to re-appoint the SLFP Kotte organizer Rohitha Bogollagama as the External Affairs Minister after bringing him to parliament through the national list.

The Defnece Secretary has explained in detail to the President that External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris has failed to make an impact in the international arena amidst the increased accusations leveled against the country internationally.

The Defence Secretary had earlier asked the President to appoint Milinda Moragoda as the President’s representative to monitor the development work in the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area and to appoint Bogollagama as the President’s representative to monitor the development work in other areas in Colombo.

However, the President had not given a proper response to the Defence Secretary’s proposal.

Nevertheless, the President had assigned Bogollagama to carry out several special assignments with the international community on behalf of the government.

He even traveled to India a few weeks earlier with a special message from the President.

It is learnt that the President has sent Bogollagama to England on another special assignment.

Bogollagama has also been assigned to coordinate some work with the international community related to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report and the 13th Amendment.

Although Bogollagam has not yet been appointed to an official post, the President has assigned 15 VIP security personnel and two vehicles for his convoy.

Bogollagama could not enter parliament after contesting at the last general election under the UPFA and is the second in the list of candidates who are in line to enter parliament from the Colombo District.

Former Deputy Minister Chandana Kathriarachchi is at the position higher than Bogollagama after polling a few extra preferential votes.

An official from the Presidential Secretariat said the President would appoint Bogollagama to parliament if MP Duminda Silva is unable to return to parliament due to his health condition.

The official said that Kathriarachchi could not be legally appointed to parliament since he had been found guilty by courts for committing a crime.