Rajapaksas Out, But Still Cashing In: Namal’s Currency of Connections

The Rajapaksas may be out of power, stripped of presidential palaces and public love, but don’t be fooled—Colombo’s corridors still hum with their currency. And it’s not votes or clean reputations. It’s something subtler: access, networks, and the uncanny ability to stay relevant despite bags of allegations.

Barely had Mahinda packed up his last box when the Chinese ambassador slipped in for a farewell hug. And now, like clockwork, Namal Rajapaksa pops up at India House, flashing that trademark grin alongside High Commissioner Santosh Jha. The official script? “Strengthening bilateral ties.” The subtext? “The Rajapaksas aren’t going anywhere.”

On X, Namal sweet-talked about the SLPP’s “longstanding friendship” with India. The High Commission dutifully reposted, noting the “wide-ranging partnership.” It’s all very diplomatic. But Colombo’s gossip mill reads it differently: Namal is trading in the only asset the family still has—visibility.

Think about it. The SLPP doesn’t have the numbers anymore, nor the people’s trust after Aragalaya chants chased them from Temple Trees. Allegations of corruption still cling like humidity. Yet, foreign envoys keep the door open. Why? Because in Sri Lankan politics, power isn’t only about holding office—it’s about the aura of inevitability. And the Rajapaksas are masters at selling the illusion that they’re always just one election away from a comeback.

Namal, in particular, has been playing the “heir apparent” role with slick confidence. He knows photos with ambassadors are worth more than a thousand press releases. They signal to party loyalists (and rivals alike): “We’re still in the game.”

So while the public counts rupees and grumbles about shortages, the Rajapaksas deal in another kind of currency—relationships, nostalgia, and the fine art of staying in the headlines.

Call it “Rajapaksa economics”: no votes, no clean slate, but endless photo-ops that keep their brand alive.