New Delhi: Amid nationwide protests that forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to offer their resignations, the Opposition parties of Sri Lanka on Sunday agreed to form an all-party interim government after the anticipated resignation of Gotabaya on Wednesday, news agency PTI reported.
Amid the political upheaval, Opposition parties held talks to decide on ways to steer the country forward in the current economic crisis after Rajapaksa's resignation.
“We agreed in principle to form a government of unity with all parties participation for an interim period," PTI quoted Wimal Weerawansa, of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party's breakaway group, as saying. “This will be a government where all parties are represented," he added.
Another leader of the SLPP breakaway group, Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that they need not wait for Rajapaksa's resignation on July 13.
Notably, President Rajapaksa informed Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Saturday that he is ready to step down from his post on Wednesday after the country's opposition parties demanded his resignation. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has also offered to resign.
The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya party said that they held extensive internal discussions.
“We aim for an interim government of all parties for a limited period and then go for a parliamentary election," Ranjith Madduma Bandara, SJB general secretary said.
Meanwhile, anti-government protesters continued to occupy the official residences of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday, a day after they stormed the premises and set ablaze one of the buildings as a mark of agitation. The people have been protesting against the country’s severe economic woes even as the whereabouts of the President is still not known.