Rajapaksa’s government in minority now, day old finance minister quits

Colombo, Apr 05: Trouble for the Mahinda Rajapaksa government mounted with at least 12 of his MPs deciding to sit as an independent group.

This would mean that the Lankan president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa would need to invite any other party to prove majority of 113 in the 225 member parliament.

The rules state that the president must appoint a caretaker government which will hold mid-term elections.

In the 225 member Sri Lankan parliament, the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna had 117 member and its allies 15. The coalition partner 10 Party Alliance had 14 members.

The opposition SJB has 54 members- TNA with ten and others with 15. After the defections, the ruling party's strength has decreased to 105, while the dissidents including those from the ruling party has gone up to 41. The numbers are only likely to increase.

In another development, Sri Lanka's finance minister, Ali Sabry resigned a day after being appointed.

He was replaced after Rajapaksa's brother Basil was sacked by the President.

On the other hand an offer by the president of a unity government was rejected by the opposition. This development came in the wake of all the ministers from the Cabinet tendering their resignations to the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa.