Sri Lankan PM Rajapaksa set to resign, says son
New Delhi/Colombo, Dec 14 (IECurrentAffairs) In Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is likely to resign on Saturday and the move could pave the way for formation of a new government under ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe.
Rajapaksa’s son Namal Rajapksa said the resignation will follow an address to the nation.
“To ensure stability of the nation, former President Rajapaksa (now Prime Minister) has decided to resign from the Premiership tomorrow after an address to the nation,” he tweeted.
The coalition under Mr Rajapaksa will now work to form a broader political coalition with President Sirisena, he said.
Earlier, Supreme Court had refused to vacate interim order of lower court restraining Rajapaksa and his cabinet from functioning.
A Presidential advisor had confirmed earlier in the day that Mr. Wickremsinghe will be appointed Prime minister by Monday and President has reportedly agreed for it.
The Sri Lanka crisis began on October 26 when President Sirisena appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister replacing Mr. Wickremsinghe. Mr. Rajapaksa failed to prove his majority and parliament had passed several motions against his government since last month.
In a dramatic development on October 26, former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as the Prime Minister, capping months of friction in the ruling coalition.
