New Delhi: Sri Lanka's former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has just one seat in the 225-member Parliament, was sworn in as the next premier on Thursday as the island country grapples with its worst economic crisis as reported by news agency PTI. According to local media, Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of the United National Party (UNP), took oath as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on Thursday at 6:30 pm. The 73-year-old United National Party (UNP) was named as the prime minister by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after they held closed-door discussions on Wednesday.
Wickremesinghe, who has filled in as the nation's top state leader for multiple times, was in October 2018 terminated from the post of prime minister by then-President Maithripala Sirisena. Nonetheless, he was reinstalled as PM by Sirisena following two months.
Individuals from the decision Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), a segment of the fundamental Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and a few other parties have communicated their support to show a majority for Wickremesinghe in Parliament, sources said.
The UNP, the oldest party in the nation, had failed to win a solitary seat from districts, including Wickremesinghe who challenged the UNP stronghold Colombo in 2020 parliamentary polls.
He later found his direction to Parliament through the sole national list designated to the UNP based on an aggregate public vote. His deputy Sajith Premadasa had driven the breakaway SJB and turned into the main Opposition.
Wickremesinghe is broadly acknowledged as a man who could deal with the economy with far-sighted policies and is seen as the Sri Lankan government official who could command international cooperation.
The development comes as Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), led by former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, has reportedly extended its support to Wickremesinghe so that he could command a majority in the Parliament.
The Opposition parties in Sri Lanka have refused to take up the Prime Minister’s post under Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency.
They have demanded that the President must resign over the current political and economic turmoil in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, a court in Sri Lanka has banned the former prime minister and his allies from leaving the country over acts of violence against the anti-government demonstrators, AFP reported.
Addressing the nation earlier on Wednesday, the Sri Lankan President said that a new Prime Minister would be appointed within the next one week and the cabinet would be elected soon.
“This week I will appoint a Prime Minister and Cabinet that can command a majority in Parliament and can gain the confidence of the people of the country,” he said.
"The new government's Prime Minister will be awarded the opportunity to produce a new program and take this country forward," he added.
The President also spoke on the violence, which took place in the nation earlier this week.
“The murders, assaults, acts of intimidation, destruction of property, and the series of heinous acts that followed cannot be justified at all,” the President said.
Urging everyone to maintain calm, he added: “Steps will be taken to strictly enforce the law against those who planned, aided, promoted, and are connected to these events.”
(With PTI inputs)