Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa Resigns As Protests Intensify

Colombo: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned from his post on May 9 in the midst of the horrific economic crisis the country has had to face since its independence.

His move will most likely pave the way for a new cabinet in a country where the nationwide protests continue to intensify and is showing no signs of slowing down.

The decision comes a day after President Gotbaya Rajapaksa, in a special meeting held on May 6, urged the Prime Minister to step down as a solution to the ongoing political crisis facing the country.

In the aftermath of the prime minister's resignation, the president is expected to invite all the political parties in Parliament to constitute an all-party cabinet.

Earlier, the opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) confirmed that its leader Sajith Premadasa will not accept the PM's post in an interim government.

Meanwhile, protestors held a demonstration on the morning of May 9 opposite the Temple Trees, the official residence of the prime minister. The protestors urged the Prime Minister not to resign.

Thereafter, the PM's supporters clashed with anti-government protestors near the Temple Trees after their meeting with the Prime Minister. The clash led to at least 16 people incurring injuries and they have been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital for medical treatment.

Mahinda Rajapaksa took to Twitter to urge citizens to exercise restraint. He wrote, "I urge our general public to exercise restraint and remember that violence only begets violence. The economic crisis we're in needs an economic solution which this administration is committed to resolving."

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is facing an acute shortage of fuel, medicines and electricity supply for over a month now and in addition, prices of essential commodities have also skyrocketed.

The crisis has been partly caused by a lack of foreign currency and it means that the island nation cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel.

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