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Sri Lanka’s embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday sent his resignation letter through an email to Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardenaon whose office is checking the legality of the document, according to media reports. Rajapaksa submitted resignation after reaching Singapore.
As per PTI report, The speaker said that he has received the resignation letter from President Rajapaksa and his office was checking the legality of the letter, media reports said.
According to media reports, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Army chief Sarath Fonseka being touted among top four contenders to replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
In an unusual move, Maldivian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Mohamed Nasheed earlier announced that Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa has resigned.
“Sri Lankan President GR has resigned. I hope Sri Lanka can now move forward. I believe the President would not have resigned if he were still in Sri Lanka, and fearful of losing his life. I commend the thoughtful actions of the Govt of Maldives. My best wishes to the people of Sri Lanka,” Nasheed, the former president who had negotiated Rajapaksa’s escape to the Maldives, said in a tweet.
On Saturday, Rajapaksa had announced to step down on July 13 after thousands of protesters stormed his official residence, blaming him for the unprecedented economic crisis that has brought the country to its knees.
