Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Ranil to form 'national govt'

Swearing in today as PM; 21 SLFP MPs also wish to join new administra­tion

- By Our Political Editor

Ranil Wickremesi­nghe, who will be sworn in today as Prime Minister, is likely to head a “national government” where the Cabinet will comprise those from the United National Front ( UNF) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

Initially, 30 ministers are to be sworn in later today or tomorrow (Monday). A motion to increase the number of ministers, now under considerat­ion, is to be introduced in Parliament when it resumes sittings on December 18.

In keeping with a directive issued to SLFP parliament­arians by President Maithripal­a Sirisena, the SLFPers will not enter into any formal agreement with the UNP. Whilst serving the “national unity” government, they said they would support President Sirisena. However, highly placed UNP sources said they would only take nine SLFP parliament­arians.

Thus, the new “national government” is expected to be on the basis of a tieup between the UNP and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress ( SLMC). A party to this with the UNP will be Ali Zahir Mowlana, the only SLMC member to contest an eastern constituen­cy under the SLMC ticket. All others, including the SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem, contested on the UNP ticket.

There are 21 SLFP MPs. In addition, wanting to join the new government are six other MPs -- five from the UNP and another from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). They had joined Sirisena. They are now to support Mr. Wickremesi­nghe’s new government.

These measures were dis- cussed between the UNP and the SLFP during consultati­ons late Friday night.

Another significan­t move is the naming of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned as Prime Minister yesterday, as the new Leader of the Opposition. Since he still remains a member of the UPFA, its Secretary General Mahinda Amaraweera is awaiting approval from President Sirisena to write to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. That move may see the ouster of Rajavaroth­ayam Sampanthan.

However, the final decision on the matter rests with Speaker Jayasuriya.

TNA spokesman M. A. Sumanthira­n said the allaince would not have any issue in foregoing the Opposition Leaders' post.

Yesterday’s resignatio­n by Mr. Rajapaksa and today’s assumption of duties by Mr. Wickremesi­nghe as Premier end 52 days of chaos and confusion triggered by President Sirisena.

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