Political unrest in Lanka to end within one week: President Maithripala Sirisena

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday asserted that the prevailing political unrest in the country would come to an end within one week.

Addressing the convention of Sri Lanka Freedom Party in Colombo on Tuesday afternoon, he said the decision on October 26 to sack Ranil Wickremsinghe as Prime Minister and form a new government, was correct and taken on behalf of the country.

The President accused the UNP leader of violating and murdering the concept of good governance adding that the only solution to this problem was to sack Wickremesinghe. He reiterated his stance that he will not reappoint Wickresminghe as PM even if all the MPs in parliament support him.

Meanwhile, Wickresminghe said the government should be constitutional and no one should act like Hitler. He asserted that it is only him and the UNF which commands a majority and requested President to work in accordance with the Constitution.

Wickresminghe insisted that the process to hold an election can take place only once a legal Government is in place. He said a legal Government can submit a motion to Parliament and if there is two-third majority, they can hold an election before the four and half year term of the current Parliament ends.

In another development, an appeal was filed in Supreme Court today against a decision by another court restraining Mahinda Rajapksa and his ministers from occupying their posts. The Supreme Court also began hearing the petitions against dissolution of parliament and will resume hearing tomorrow. A decision is expected on Friday.