Image Credit source: AP
The split in the main opposition Samagi Jan Balvegaya amid the ongoing crisis in Sri Lanka comes at a time when its prominent leader Harin Fernando said he has decided to remain independent from the party. Party leader Premadasa does not want to be the prime minister in the interim government.
Economic Crisis (Sri Lanka CrisisThere is also a political crisis in Sri Lanka, which has been badly affected by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (Gotabaya Rajapaksa) has announced that they will announce the new Prime Minister this week. However, in the interim government of President Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka’s Samagi Jana Balwegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa, the Prime Minister (Prime MinisterThe main opposition party SJB is divided into two factions to choose the next prime minister of the country.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declined to resign in his address to the nation late on Wednesday, but promised this week to appoint a new prime minister and a new cabinet that would introduce constitutional reforms in the country. This announcement was made on his behalf at a time when the country is going through a deep economic crisis and a large number of people are protesting on the streets. Continued protests forced his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa to resign as prime minister and he is under security at a naval base following violent attacks on his allies.
Premadasa does not want to become PM in interim government
The split in the main opposition Samagi Jan Balvegaya (SJB) comes at a time when its prominent leader Harin Fernando told reporters that he had decided to remain independent from the party. He further said that party leader Premadasa does not want to become the Prime Minister in the interim government.
Harin Fernando said, ‘This is not the time to impose conditions and avoid responsibility, every passing minute without the government will be disastrous. He will support any interim prime minister to run the country.
Premadasa will become prime minister only when President resigns: SJB
There is no government in Sri Lanka since Monday. President Gotabaya’s elder brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had to resign following violence that erupted after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters. The attack sparked widespread violence against Rajapaksa loyalists, in which nine people, including two police officers, were killed.
SJB leader Fernando said Premadasa had adopted the moral ground that he would “not accept to be prime minister under the corrupt Rajapaksa”. He said that if the President resigns then only Premadasa will become the Prime Minister.
The SJB wrote a four-point letter to President Gotabaya last night. These include such conditions that they should resign within the stipulated time period, do not interfere in the day-to-day business of the government, the cabinet of the interim government is not appointed according to their will and the office of the acting president should be abolished.
On the other hand, the group that became independent of the ruling coalition said it would accept the president’s choice. “If the President appoints a person who, in his opinion, can garner the support of Parliament, let him appoint first,” Anura Yapa, a member of the group’s MP, told news agency PTI. The President had said in his address yesterday that the person with the parliamentary majority would be appointed the Prime Minister.
Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s name is in the forefront
It is believed that former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe can be made the new Prime Minister of the interim government. He also met the President on Wednesday evening yesterday.
Sri Lankan People’s Party (SLPP) leader Mahinda was the country’s president from 2005 to 2015, during which he conducted a brutal military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Meanwhile, it was announced by the President’s Office that the nationwide curfew imposed after the violent incidents was lifted for seven hours from 7 am on Thursday and would be implemented again at 2 pm. The curfew will remain in force till 6 am on Friday.
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