Sri Lankan political crisis grows with resignation of deputy minister
- Deputy Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara sides with ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
- His resignation is seen as an upset for Wickremesinghe’s replacement Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is trying to obtain a parliamentary majority
A deputy minister resigned on Tuesday from Sri Lanka’s government after the appointment of a former strongman as prime minister plunged the country into a political crisis.
Sri Lanka has been engulfed in turmoil since President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last month and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The resignation of Deputy Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara came a day after Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said he will continue to recognise Wickremesinghe as prime minister until Rajapaksa can demonstrate he controls a parliamentary majority.
In a letter to Sirisena, Nanayakkara said he agrees with the speaker’s stance.
His resignation is seen as an upset for Rajapaksa’s efforts to obtain a majority in parliament. Since his ousting, Wickremesinghe has remained in the prime minister’s official residence and insists he is still the legitimate leader.