New Delhi: Sri Lanka's former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has just one seat in the 225-member Parliament, is likely to be sworn-in as the next premier on Thursday as the island country grapples with its worst economic crisis. According to local media, Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of United National Party (UNP), is likely to take oath as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on Thursday at 6:30 pm.
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.
Thy 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 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.”