Claims That Ravi Karunanayake and Lakshman Kiriella Have Left Sri Lanka Are False!

Today is election day, and social media is flooded with misleading posts. Some of these posts falsely claim that certain politicians have left the country, causing confusion among voters. Many of these claims are unverified and part of a larger spread of misinformation aimed at influencing public perception during the election. It’s essential for voters to rely on credible news sources and official updates to avoid being misled by these false reports.

Social Media Posts

As the country heads to the polls on election day, social media platforms have been flooded with claims that former minister and United National Party (UNP) member Ravi Karunanayake & Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Member of Parliament Lakshman Kiriella, has left Sri Lanka.

FB | Archived

Verifying the Claims

First, we checked mainstream media outlets to verify whether there were any reports confirming that either politician had left the country. None of the leading news organizations in Sri Lanka, both print and digital, have reported such an event. The absence of credible reports on this matter raised doubts about the authenticity of these social media claims.

Statements from Relevant Sources

We then reached out to the key figures involved for confirmation:

Lakshman Kiriella's Response: In response to the rumors, Lakshman Kiriella himself addressed the issue via a Facebook post. Kiriella categorically denied the allegations in his post, stating that he remains in Sri Lanka and has not left the country as claimed. His direct response is clear evidence that the social media claim is false.

FB | Archived

Below is a Facebook post by MP Lakshman Kiriella, who is going to cast his vote at today's presidential polls. Here is a short clip in which he talks about fake posts going viral.

Ravi Karunanayake's Response: To verify the claims regarding Ravi Karunanayake, we contacted his media secretary, Chanaka Siriwardhana, who also confirmed that Ravi Karunanayake has not left Sri Lanka. This statement further debunks the rumour circulating on social media.

Ravi Karunanayake also voted today

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Conclusion

The claims that former minister Ravi Karunanayake and SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella have left Sri Lanka are baseless. Both Lakshman Kiriella's personal statement and confirmation from Ravi Karunanayake's media secretary show that these politicians are still in the country.