The Prime Minister’s Office says that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has told the Party Leaders that he is willing to resign as Prime Minister and make way for an all-Party Government to take over.
He says he is taking this decision in view of the fact that island-wide fuel distribution is due to recommence this week, the World Food Program Director is due to visit the country this week and the Debt Sustainability report for the IMF is due to be finalized shortly.
So as to ensure safety of the citizens, he is agreeable to this recommendation by the Opposition Party Leaders.
It has been decided in the party leaders’ meeting that the President and the Prime Minister should resign immediately.
The meeting was held at the Speaker’s official residence with the participation of many party leaders and PM Ranil Wickramasinghe and JVP Anura Kumara Dissanayake participated in this meeting through zoom technology.
The Leader of the Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya Sajith Premadasa has not participated in the partly leaders’ meeting. Mr. Sajith Premadasa is currently in a private hospital in Colombo due to a sudden illness.
It is said that the majority of the party leaders have requested in the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs that the speaker should become the Acting President and work to form an all-party government under his leadership.
Former President and Leader of Sri Lanka Freedom Party Maithripala Sirisena is also in the opinion that the President and the Prime Minister should immediately resign from their positions.
The former president making a statement through video technology said the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is of the opinion that these activities should be done to preserve the peace and the Constitution.
Mr. Maithripala Sirisena further said that the opinions of the strugglers should also be obtained at this time.
A group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs meanwhile in a letter have requested the President to resign immediately considering the current situation.
This letter is addressed by Mr. Dallas Alahapperuma, Professor Channa Jayasumana, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa and Professor Charitha Herath calling themselves the reformist group of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.
