Colombo: Amid the Sri Lanka crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa shall announce the new Prime Minister and cabinet in the upcoming week. On Thursday, May 12, the Sri Lankan President gave the country a ray of hope by announcing that the new Prime Minister shall be revealed soon. As Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse resigned from his post on Monday, the island nation is in economic and political turmoil.
Currently, Sri Lanka is under curfew due to the crisis. The police have been allowed to shoot at places with curfew violations. President Rajapakse said, “I shall appoint a Prime Minister and a Cabinet this week to control the current situation and prevent the country from heading to nihilism. They shall choose the next leaders as per their capability to command a majority in the Parliament and gain the citizen’s confidence.”
“Will Appoint PM, Cabinet This Week”
According to sources, Rajapakse has been in conversations with Sri Lanka’s former Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe. The 73-year-old Wickremesinghe is also a current member of the Parliament. Speculations say that Ranil Wickremesinghe might become the next PM of Sri Lanka as an interim measure.
The largest opposition party of Sri Lanka has refused to join any government with the Rajapaksa clan. However, Ranil Wickremesinghe is the head of the United National Party. The announcement might have sighed relief, but the peaceful protests have not quelled. The protestors are demanding that President Rajapakse must step down.
Rajapakse acknowledged the Sri Lankan crisis and claimed that he had a conversation with different parties. They have concluded forming a new government. President expressed dismay at the worst violent incident on Monday in Sri Lanka. In addition to this, the unleashing event saw nine casualties, including one parliament member. Due to the violent incident, three hundred people are in the hospital. The government immediately imposed a curfew, which shall lift on Friday.
The Fall of the House of Rajapaksa: How Unbridled Nepotism Let Sri Lanka Down