Basil Rajapaksa had instructed his economic advisors to prepare a set of articles that would put the President and the SLFP in difficulty by analysing this budget as an extension of the open economy of J.R. Jayawardena, and ordered his social media employees to slander the SLFP ministers who are praising the budget.

President happy:

However, the President had called the Finance Minister the same night the budget was presented (09) and praised his budget speech.

The President who had arranged to address all military personnel over the internet on Thursday (09), was unable to attend the budget speech in parliament.

Both the UNP and SLFP ministers who hailed the Finance Minister’s policy proposals at the time it was presented to parliament, had also congratulated him thereafter.