Colombo (PTI): Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, a former minister who had accused Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa of entering into a deal with LTTE during November 2005 general elections, died on Saturday in an accident.

According to reports, the 45-year-old Sooriyarachchi's vehicle swerved and crashed into a roadside tree due to heavy rain in Thambuttegama in the North-central Anuradhapura district. Two of his bodyguards who were also travelling with him also died in the accident. While the driver and the bodyguard died on the spot, Sooriyarachchi succumbed to his injuries in the Anuradhapura hospital, according to sources. Three other occupants of the car were badly injured.

In March last year, Sooriyarachchi and former foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera demanded a parliamentary probe on alleged secret deals between the Rajapaksa administration and the LTTE. They alleged that Rajapaksa's men provided the LTTE with funds to force Tamils under their control to boycott the presidential elections held in November 2005.

Sooriyarachchi, a lawyer was a naval officer before entering into a legal career. He was at the forefront of the presidential campaign to elect Rajapaksa before differences arose between them. Sooriyarachchi and Samaraweera then formed a new faction of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) called SLFP (Mahajana).

Later, SLFP (M) joined the Opposition United National Party (UNP) to form the National Congress, an umbrella organisation of parties and groups opposed to the government.