PM’s office scotches resignation reports
COLOMBO – The Prime Minister’s office on Sunday (3) dismissed as false, news reports claiming Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa would be stepping down from his position, with Secretary to the Prime Minister, Rohan Weliwita, issuing a statement claiming the reports were baseless and there was no such plans.
News reports quoting government sources said Sunday that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was likely to step down to make way for an interim government, and that the resignation was expected as early as Monday (4) morning. Government sources were also quoted as saying the Prime Minister had already tendered his resignation but President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had not accepted it as yet.
The reports also said that Ministers Dallas Alahapperuma and Dinesh Gunewardene were being considered as likely successors.
A senior minister was also quoted as say Mahinda Rajapaksa had said he was ready to sacrifice his position for an all-party government, but that no final decision had been taken.
The reports come in the wake of a meeting Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila, who were sacked from their ministerial portfolios recently, had with the President and the Prime Minister, where it was proposed that an all-party interim government be appointed.
Weerawansa later told reporters that both the President and the Prime Minister had responded favourably to the suggestion of an all-party government.
-ENCL