Colombo, July 24 (IANS) The government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has welcomed the trust vote victory of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government in the Lok Sabha, saying that it would be advantageous to Sri Lanka’s ongoing military onslaught against the Tamil Tigers, a media report here said Thursday. General Secretary of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and senior minister Maithiripala Sirisena said at a media briefing Wednesday that had the Indian government been defeated in the trust vote, it would have resulted in instability not only in India, but also in the south Asian region.

“This outcome is a blessing for Sri Lanka. It is not a secret that India helps our military operations,” the Daily Mirror newspaper quoted Sirisena as saying.

“Had the Indian government lost this vote, an election would have to be declared. In the run-up to an election, no country can make vital policy decisions. Sri Lanka will also feel its pinch in such a political situation in India which is the regional giant,” Sirisena added.

Commenting on the issue of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi proposing to the central government to take back the controversial Kachchativu island from Sri Lanka, another top minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has said that Colombo “does not maintain diplomatic relations with a state government of a country”.

“We will deal only with the central government,” Silva said, adding that Colombo would deal with such issues in a professional manner as it “is concerned about the domestic problems faced by the Indian central government with regard to this matter”.