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I stand with people though resignation seems like a joke: Ranjith Siyamabalapitiya

09 May 2022

  • Siyamabalapitiya explains reason for second resignation in a week 
Deputy Speaker Ranjith Siyamabalapitiya, who controversially resigned from his position twice last week, said last Saturday (7) that both resignations were submitted with the intent to stand with the people and to support the people’s struggle. “At this point, the people are seeing me as an enemy of the struggle, but I do not want to be seen as an enemy of the people’s struggle. I know it seems like a joke to resign from the same position twice, but I choose the side of the people,” stressed Siyambalapitiya. Siyambalapitiya, who entered Parliament as a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP, initially resigned from the post of Deputy Speaker in early April, but this resignation was not accepted by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He later resigned again on 30 April, which was accepted by the President on 3 May. A vote was held in Parliament on 4 May to determine who the next Deputy Speaker would be. Siyambalapitiya’s name was nominated by the SLFP and was supported by the Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB). However, when the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) announced its support to Siyambalapitiya, the SJB withdrew its support and nominated SJB MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar for the post. Siyambalapitiya was re-elected with 148 votes, while 65 votes were cast in favour of Markar. Addressing the media on Saturday, Siyambalapitiya said: “When we were sitting down in Parliament on 4 May, the Opposition agreed that I would be the proposed name. However, unfortunately, I do not know the reason, it changed and another name from the Opposition was put forward. With that, the SLPP also announced that it will support me. I won the election and we had to face a distorted result. I resigned the first time to support the people’s struggle, a step ahead of the party decision too.”


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