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New Cabinet to be formed?

03 Apr 2022

 
  • Cabinet discusses possibility of resigning en masse
  • Security apparatus struggling to quell protests
  • SLFP gives ultimatum to Govt.
  By Buddhika Samaraweera The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), following its Central Committee meeting yesterday (3), informed the President in a letter that the 14 SLFP Parliamentarians (MPs) would sit as independent MPs in Parliament if the Government does not form an Interim Government with the participation of all parties represented in Parliament within the next week. When inquired about this, SLFP Senior Vice President Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa stated that the President should take action to find a solution to the crisis situation that has arisen, through the formation of an Interim Government. However, when asked if there are any plans to compel the Government to abolish the executive presidency if such an Interim Government is to be formed, he said there is no such plan. Meanwhile, The Morning learnt that the Cabinet of Ministers is likely to resign to allow the President to appoint a new Cabinet amid mounting pressure on the President and the Government to resign. At the time of printing, there was no confirmation on whether the Cabinet would resign. However, these matters were discussed at length at an emergency cabinet meeting held last night, which was preceded by a meeting between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. It had earlier been proposed that Minister of Education Dinesh Gunawardena be appointed as the Premier of the Government to be appointed, but a consensus was not reached. Meanwhile, when inquired whether the post of Premier of an Interim Government to be formed will be handed over to United National Party (UNP) Leader and MP Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP Media Co-ordinator Dinuk Colombage stated that Wickremasinghe is not ready to accept such a post. It was also reported that Minister of Youth and Sports, Minister of Development Co-ordination and Monitoring, and State Minister of Digital Technology and Enterprise Development Namal Rajapaksa will be the first to resign from the ministerial posts if the cabinet resignation takes place. It was also learnt that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa would not be provided a position in the new Cabinet to be appointed. It is further said that the issues discussed at a special meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) held last evening also contributed to the crucial decision taken by the Government. During the said NSC discussion, the defence and security apparatus has pointed out that the police and security forces would not be able to control the growing protests unless a speedy political solution is found on the political front.


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