Sri Lanka: Several MPs urge outgoing PM Wickremesinghe to take over presidency amid crisis

Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Sri Lanka, several parliamentarians have urged outgoing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to take over the Presidency and not leave the crisis mid-way, as talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are underway. This comes after incumbent President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to tender his resignation on Wednesday, July 13, amid the widespread protest in the country. According to a report by Daily Mirror, Wickremesinghe still holds a majority of around 115 seats out of 225 in the parliament. 

According to reports, if Wickremesinghe agrees to take over the Presidency, his main task would be to focus on striking an agreement with the IMF in an attempt to reinstate some kind of economic normalcy. However, if he declines to accept the offer, Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena would be sworn in as President pro tem on Wednesday for a period of 30 days, while Parliament chooses a replacement. Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has also expressed his interest to take over the country's Presidency.

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa shows interest in taking country's Presidency

Premadasa held a meeting with his party leaders after Saturday's riots and hinted that Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) leader Dullas Allahapperuma would likely be his choice for Prime Minister, if he is appointed as the country's next President. However, Premadasa is still to garner the majority support of the parliament, the Daily Mirror reported. Notably, protesters have been demanding the Sri Lankan President and his entire government resign as the island nation tackles the worst economic crisis since its independence. Meanwhile, on July 9, PM Wickremesinghe resigned from his post to make way for an all-party government to take over. 

Sri Lankan crisis

It is worth mentioning here that the Sri Lankan government has been struggling to meet basic requirements for its population of 22 million citizens amid an unprecedented economic crisis. The island nation is also currently facing a foreign exchange deficit, which has resulted in food, fuel, power, and gas shortages, and has sought economic assistance from friendly countries. Meanwhile, former Sri Lankan President and chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Maithripala Sirisena stressed that President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe have no moral right to remain in power. 

Image: AP