Six Sri Lankan ministers quit Sirisena-led unity govt

Six ministers of President Maithripala Sirisena-led unity government in Sri Lanka resigned on Thursday, days after they voted against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the no trust motion moved by the Joint Opposition.

The ministers, who were from the Sirisena-led ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) which is a coalition partner in the unity government with the Wickremesinghe-led United National Party (UNP), sent their resignation to the President late last night.

“We have informed the President that we are leaving the government as of midnight yesterday," Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.

The other ministers who have resigned include Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare S B Dissanayake, Labour Minister John Seneviratne, Minister of Science, Technology and Research Susil Premajayantha and Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training Chandima Weerakkody. Yapa and the five ministers had voted against Wickremesinghe in the last week's no trust motion brought by former President Mahinda Rajapaska-led Joint Opposition (JO), following which the UNP members had been demanding their ouster from the government.

Ten other state and deputy ministers had also voted against the premier.

Yapa said they were aware that it was not ethical for them to remain in the Cabinet after voting against the PM.