Srilanka: President recalls the Parliament on November 5
Guwahati: Amidst growing calls to end SriLanka’s week-long political impasse, President Maithripala Sirisena has recalled the Parliament on November 5.
Confirming Mr. Sirisena’s decision to partially-revoke his earlier order that suspended the House till November 16, a top official at the President's office stated that The Parliament will reconvene on Monday.
The Presidents latest decision makes a floor test possible, where controversially deposed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was sacked by Mr. Sirisena on Friday last and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, appointed in his place, could prove their competing claims to majority in the 225-member House.
As of Thursday morning, the Wickremesinghe-led United National Front (UNF), as well as the Sirisena-Rajapaksa combine, had a little over a 100 MPs each.
All eyes are on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which has 16 MPs representing the island’s north and east, and the leftist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) with six MPs. Their vote might prove decisive in a close contest.
Mr. Rajapaksa has already sought TNA leader R. Sampanthan’s support, but the senior Tamil leader said he could consider the option only if Mr. Rajapaksa shared a clear plan of action on measures to resolve the pending concerns of the war-affected Tamil minority.
President Sirisena decisions to dethrone country’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appoint former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his place on Friday last had plunged the island country into a political crisis, with two Prime Ministers and parallel Cabinets.
It followed his withdrawal of support from the country’s national unity government and marked his realignment with former rival Mr. Rajapaksa. Mr. Sirisena prorogued parliament shortly after, sparking considerable domestic and international concern over what many deemed an “unconstitutional” move, though his office has claimed following due process.
Meanwhile, a spokesman at the Speaker’s office told the Sri Lankan media that when Parliament reconvenes, Mr. Rajapaksa would be given the Prime Minister’s seat, based on the gazette issued by the President appointing him as Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremesinghe is the 15th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, who has adorning the Prime Minister’s chair for the fourth term from 9 January 2015 to 26 October 2018, before being sacked by the Country’s President.
Although Wickremesinghe led coalition alliance, the “United National Front for Good Governance” fell short of an outright majority in the 2015 election, yet, Wickremesinghe was re-elected as Prime Minister with over 35 Sri Lanka Freedom Party members joining his cabinet.
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