With 117 MPs, Wickremesinghe proves majority in Lankan House

Colombo, December 12

Sri Lanka’s ousted PM Ranil Wickremesinghe emphatically proved his majority in Parliament on Wednesday, weeks after being sacked by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move that plunged the island nation into a political turmoil.

As many as 117 out of the 225 lawmakers in Parliament voted to pass a confidence motion in his leadership.

The motion’s approval could be seen as a blow to President Sirisena who has steadfastly refused to reappoint 69-year-old Wickremesinghe due to his personal dislike of the ousted PM.

Sri Lanka is going through a political crisis since October 26 when President Sirisena, in a controversial move, removed Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place.

The main Tamil minority party TNA voted in favour of the confidence motion. However, the Marxist JVP, which has protested Sirisena’s extra constitutional action, abstained from voting.

If the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)’s six lawmakers had voted in his favour, Wickremesinghe would have commanded an unassailable majority in the House despite the President’s refusal to reinstate him. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya later adjourned the Parliament session until December 18. — PTI