Lanka deputy minister quits as political crisis grows

colombo — A deputy minister resigned on Tuesday from Sri Lanka’s government after the appointment of a former strongman as prime minister plunged the country into a political crisis.

Sri Lanka has been engulfed in turmoil since President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last month and replaced him with ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The resignation of Deputy Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara came a day after Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said he will continue to recognise Wickremesinghe as prime minister until Rajapaksa can demonstrate he controls a parliamentary majority. In a letter to Sirisena, Nanayakkara said he agrees with the speaker’s stance.

His resignation is seen as an upset for Rajapaksa’s efforts to obtain a majority in Parliament.

Since his ouster, Wickremesinghe has remained in the prime minister’s official residence and insists he is still the legitimate leader. —