Sri Lankan LoP Sajith Premadasa to not accept PM post

As Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is likely to resign from his post amid ongoing protests, opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) confirmed that its leader Sajith Premadasa will not accept the PM's post in an interim government.

This comes at a significant juncture as Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa is learned to have responded positively to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's request to him to quit in the face of the deepening economic crisis.

SJB National Organizer Tissa Attsnayake, while speaking with the Sri Lankan media outlet, said, "Premadasa will not accept premiership of an interim government but SJB will give conditional support for an interim government."

"We will only support an interim government which will carry out proposals made by Bar Association of Sri Lanka," he added.

Two no-confidence motions against the President and the Prime Minister were handed over to the speaker by SJB. "It will now become clear who is betraying the demands of the people," Premadasa said.

Earlier, Premadasa pointed out the present government is "reckless" and has pushed the country to the edge of bankruptcy. He remarked that such a situation had risen for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka.

The crisis-hit Sri Lanka on Friday declared a state of emergency after the crippling strike and protest over the external debt for the second time in five weeks.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is struggling with acute food and electricity shortages, forcing the country to seek help from its neighbours. The recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a clampdown on tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is unable to buy sufficient fuel and gas, while the people are being deprived of basic amenities as well.

The economic situation has led to huge protests with demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.