Ranil Wickremesinghe to be sworn in as new Sri Lankan Prime Minister amid crisis: Reports

Amid the ongoing political tensions in the country, reports now claim that Leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe is to be appointed as the new Prime Minister on May 13 as per local reports. This comes only hours after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met with the UNP leader. The decision comes after the controversial step down of Mahinda Rajapaksa from the Prime Ministerial position after intense violence in the island nation

Amid speculations over former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe becoming Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister, reports now claim that the United National Party leader is set to take up the post by Friday. Earlier it was reported that the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, would be announcing the new PM and a cabinet by the end of this week. The new cabinet will command a majority in the 225-seat parliament, the President had said in a statement.

Ranil Wickremesinghe to be new Sri Lankan PM 

Ranil Wickremesinghe is now set to be appointed as the new Prime Minister, according to the Lanka Express. As per reports by NethNews and Lankadeepa, a large number of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim parliamentarians came forward to support Wickremesinghe. Meanwhile, multiple political sources have told the Lankan news agencies that President Rajapaksa had requested leaders of several political parties to accept the post of Prime Minister, which they turned down due to the challenge due to the prevailing economic situation in the country.

Following this, Ranil Wickremesinghe has reportedly come forward to take up the post while explaining in detail that he holds a plan to relieve the people of the country from the economic pressure they are facing. As per local media reports, President Rajapaksa had held talks with former PM Wickremesinghe to explore the option of appointing him as the new Prime Minister for an interim period. It is pertinent to mention here that Mahinda Rajapaksa placed his resignation on May 10, days after refusing to adhere to the calls of angered protestors over his mismanagement of funds in the country that pushed Sri Lanka to the brink of bankruptcy.

Sri Lanka crisis

For the unversed, Sri Lanka has been reeling under a crippling economic crisis coupled with political turmoil. A severe shortage of food, fuel, and other basic supplies followed by the inaction of the 'Rajapaksa clan' has led simmering discontent among 22 million citizens in the island nation to bubble. Protestors from all walks of life, including Buddhist clergy members, have joined the anti-government rallies calling for an immediate step down of the Rajapaksa administration. Weeks after ignoring the calls, on May 10, Mahinda Rajapaksa finally tendered his resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after protests had already turned chaotic.

Image: AP