COLOMBO : Two conflicting statement from Sri Lanka’s president and premier have put the people in a dilemma whether Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa would resign from the premiership or would continue to be the prime minister.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said here he is willing to form an all-party government with the political parties representing the parliament.
The structure, the tenure and the portfolios of this all-party government, which is to be established after the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers, need to be agreed upon following discussions, the President said further.
As the first step for this purpose, the President has called a meeting this Friday (April 29) with the participation of all political party leaders in the ruling faction, the leaders of political parties that represented the government after the 2020 general election and currently sit independently in the House. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 10.30 a.m. at the President’s House in Colombo 01.
Meanwhile, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa said here that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has never asked him to resign from his position.
During an audience with the chairpersons, mayors, and members of local government institutions today (April 27), PM Rajapaksa also expressed confidence that the President would not ask him to do so, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
These remarks came amidst growing agitations against the incumbent government, with protesters calling for the resignation of the President, the Premier, and the Cabinet of Ministers.
