▁An ur ad ha , ▁L ank esh ▁& ▁N ish ang ani . ▁M ano ▁W ij ey er at ne ' s ▁father ▁N iss anka ▁and ▁grand father , ▁Sir ▁Ed win ▁W ij ey er at ne ▁were ▁prominent ▁polit icians ▁who ▁had ▁become ▁cabinet ▁minister s . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁College , ▁Col om bo ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁M ano ▁W ij ey er at ne ▁served ▁as ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁ 1 7 ▁years ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁parliament ▁from ▁K eg alle ▁District ▁four ▁times ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁National ▁Party ▁in ▁the ▁years ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 4 . He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁National ▁party ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 9 - 2 0 0 7 ▁before ▁crossing over ▁to ▁the ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁Fre edom ▁Party ▁( 2 0 0 7 - t ill ▁his ▁death ). ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁former ▁District ▁Le ader ▁of ▁K eg alle ▁District ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁National ▁Party ▁( 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 7 ). ▁He ▁had ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁Non - C ab inet ▁Minister ▁of ▁Enter prise ▁Development ▁and ▁Plant ation ▁Services . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁death ▁he ▁was ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁Fre edom ▁Party ▁chief ▁organ iser ▁for ▁the ▁D ed ig ama ▁Elect or ate . ▁ ▁Family ▁He