President to reappoint former Cabinet today

• RW to retain Finance, Dinesh Gunawardena to be PM, Sabry to get Foreign Ministry
• New additions after talks with allies

New President Ranil Wickremesinghe is today scheduled to reappoint the Cabinet of Ministers who served prior to his appointment.

The move would mean most of the 13-member Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the ousted Gotabaya Rajapaksa in May will get a new lease of life.

However, the coveted Prime Minister portfolio is to go to Ranil’s classmate who proposed his presidential nomination, the veteran Parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardena.

Wickremesinghe will retain the key portfolio of Finance whilst Ali Sabry PC is tipped to be appointed as Foreign Minister. 

The President is keeping options open for a fuller Cabinet pending talks with allies and possible detractors from other parties, who may have supported him in their secret ballot on Tuesday in Parliament. Wickremesinghe won the contest with a margin of 52 votes against the closest contender the Opposition-backed Dullas Alahapperuma. 

President Wickremesinghe also has informed party leaders yesterday that Parliament will be prorogued for 24 hours for a fresh ceremonial sitting.