Lanka logjam continues; giant rally backs ousted PM

COLOMBO: Tens of thousands of supporters of sacked prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe blocked roads in Sri Lanka’s capital on Tuesday, stepping up a showdown with the COUNTRY’S NEWLY APPOINTED LEADER − A former strongman accused of grave rights abuses.

WICKREMESINGHE LEFT HIS OFICIAL RESIDENCE FOR THE IRST TIME SINCE FRIDAY TO condemn President Maithripala Sirisena fordismissinghimandappointingmahinda Rajapakse, a former president accused of human rights violations and corruption.

Wickremesinghe’s party said about 100,000 PEOPLE LOODED THE STREETS, while police sources estimated 25,000 even as scores of buses brought more demonstrators to the biggest rally since the constitutional crisis erupted.

The army of followers chanted “Down With the Rogue PM” as they targeted Rajapakse, who Sirisena has brought back into frontline politics as his prime minister.

EFIGIES OF SIRISENA WERE TORN UP IN A symbolic protest against the president, who has faced international calls to end a suspension of parliament so it can hold a vote on the rival prime ministers.

“We are against the sacking, the people did not vote for Sirisena to act in this manner,” Wickremesinghe told supporters from a makeshift stage.

“We will resist what the president has done.” Parliament speaker Karu Jayasuriya has warned that the crisis could lead to a “bloodbath” on the streets if the assembly does not hold a vote.

But the rally remained peaceful, watched by more than 2,600 police and special task force commandos.

Behind the scenes, the rivals battled to tempt lawmakers from opposing sides to bolster their numbers if a vote is held.

Rajapakse, 72, gave four legislators from Wickremesinghe’s party ministerial portfolios in his cabinet after persuading them to defect on Monday.

Wickremesinghe has in turn convinced two lawmakers from Sirisena’s camp to join his United National Party.

Followingthedefections,wickremesinghe has 105 MPS in the 225-seat chamber while Rajapakse and Sirisena together have 98. A majority of the 22 remaining MPS are expected to back Wickremesinghe in any vote but the horse-trading is sure to intensify, observers said.

Adeputyministerinwickremesinghe’s administration, Ranjan Ramanayake, ACCUSED CHINA OF PAYING FOR RAJAPAKSE − who favoured a pro-beijing policy during HIS DECADE-LONG TENURE AS PRESIDENT − TO buy legislators.