COLOMBO — The United States and Norway on Saturday denied funding Sri Lanka's main opposition to defeat President Mahinda Rajapakse's re-election bid later this month.

The US embassy in Colombo said it "strongly" rejected the charges made by a ruling party legislator that he was given 30 million rupees (265,000 dollars) that had come from the US and Norwegian embassies to defect to the opposition.

Legislator Mohamed Musammil told reporters in Colombo Friday that he was given a suitcase full of the cash to defect and support the main opposition presidential candidate, Sarath Fonseka.