Lankan Prez 'agrees' to oust brother as PM

Colombo, April 29

The Sri Lankan President has agreed to replace his older brother as Prime Minister in a proposed interim government to solve a political impasse caused by the country’s worst economic crisis in decades, a prominent lawmaker said on Friday.

90% want Rajapaksas to leave politics: poll

Colombo: At least nine out of 10 Sri Lankans have opined that PM Mahinda Rajapaksa should resign, and that the embattled Rajapaksa family should leave politics, according to a poll held amid the worst economic crisis that has hit the country. PTI

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa agreed that a national council would be appointed to name a new PM and Cabinet comprised of all parties in Parliament, lawmaker Maithripala Sirisena said after meeting the President. Sirisena, who was the President before Rajapaksa, was a governing party lawmaker before defecting earlier this month along with nearly 40 other legislators. However, Rohan Weliwita, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, said the President had not communicated any intent to remove the Prime Minister and a decision would be announced if such a step is taken. — AP