Sri Lanka: Ranil will not join the government – Prime Minister Refuses to Resign

 by Our Political Affirms Editor 

UNP sources confirmed to the Sri Lanka Guardian that there was no truth in the government's proposal for former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to take over as the new Prime Minister or Finance Minister. Although Mr Wickremesinghe's party has received a number of unofficial invitations to join the current government, it has not yet received any form of official invitation.

No one in the ruling party has yet agreed to the UNP's proposals on the issue. Mr Wickremesinghe also stated earlier that what the country needs at the moment is not a national government but a permanent national policy with a national consensus.

Meanwhile, internal government sources say that the discussion that lasted for hours today for the Rajapaksas, including the Prime Minister, to resign from the government ended a short while ago in disappointment as the Prime Minister vehemently refused to resign. 

However, a senior member of the United National Party (UNP) who had previously served as a cabinet minister told the Sri Lanka Guardian that his party would do its utmost to resolve the current social and economic crisis and would decide to join the current government only if it fully agrees with its proposals.