Quashing Rumours : Former Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Return As Prime Minister Dismissed By SLPP

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The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party has dismissed rumours that former president Mahinda Rajapaksa would be reappointed as the prime minister of the island nation.

As per PTI report, Rajapaksa, the 77-year-old leader who served both as the president and the prime minister of Sri Lanka on different occasions, resigned as the premier of the island nation last year in May amid massive anti-government protests that erupted due to the economic crisis. Apart from Mahinda Rajapaksa, his younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the then president of the country, also had to resign as the protests had turned violent after the public blamed the Rajapaksa family of mishandling the economy and heavy corruption due to which the nation fell into a deep financial crisis. Speculation was rife that Rajapaksa would be sworn-in last Friday. However, the SLPP on Monday refuted any such possibility or development.

“There is no such move of making Mahinda Rajapaksa the prime minister and the SLPP has not made such a request to the president,” Sagara Kariyawasam, the party general secretary, told reporters.