Tag : Political

    Sri Lanka's Political Crisis Should End With Snap Election: Nanayakkara

    Nanayakkara
    Sunil Aswal
    April7/ 2022

    Colombo: Sri Lanka's ongoing political turmoil triggered by the country's unprecedented economic crisis can be ended with a snap election, veteran left-wing politician Vasudeva Nanayakkara said on Wednesday, emphasising that there must be a government with everyone participating in it for at least 6 months before the polls are held. Democratic Left Front politician Nanayakkara was among the 42 members who declared independence in Parliament from the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) coalition. "This government cannot move forward now. There must be a government with everyone participating for at least 6 months and then have an election," Nanayakkara said. He, however, ruled out joining hands with the opposition groups. While the Parliament meets on Wednesday to have a debate on the current political crisis, the ruling coalition officials said there could be more loss to the ruling party in terms of numbers. The ruling coalition, which had won 150 seats in the 2020 general elections and went on to increase its numbers through defections from the Opposition, lost the support of 42 MPs. The names of the 42 lawmakers to leave the coalition were announced by party leaders in Parliament. They have now become independent members, leaving President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's government with fewer than the 113 members needed to maintain a majority in the 225-member house. The government, however, claimed that it commands a simple majority. Sri Lanka is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in history. With long lines for fuel, cooking gas, essentials in short supply and long hours of power cuts, the public has been suffering for months. Despite the declaration of a state of emergency and a weekend curfew, people joined the ...

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