Sri Lanka: Parliament demands sacked PM be reinstated
Colombo, Dec 12 (IBNS): Sri Lanka's Parliament on Wednesday showed confidence in Ranil Wickremesinghe's leadership and sought his reinstatement as Prime Minister, weeks after he was sacked by President Maithripala Sirisena.
According to reports, in the 225-member House, 117 voted to pass a confidence motion in favour of Wickremesinghe.
Sri Lanka is passing through a political crisis since late October when the country's President Maithripala Sirisena sacked his PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new premier.
Rajapaksa took oath as the new premier of the country on October 26.
Relations between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe's political parties, who have governed in coalition since 2015, received setback since both suffered humiliating losses in February's local council elections.
"This resolution expressing confidence in me is a vote to defeat the coup of October 26," AFP quoted Wickremesinghe as saying on his controversial sacking by Sirisena six weeks ago.
“We have not forgotten our promise for a new constitution and the abolition of Executive Presidency. We will continue to work towards achieving them,” Wickremesinghe said, Colombo Telegraph reported.
Both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claim to be the prime minister with the former stating that his dismissal is invalid because he still holds a majority in the 225-member Parliament. President Sirisena has, however, said he would not reappoint him as the Prime Minister.
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