SJB wants President to resign after appointing Sajith as PM

Wednesday, 11 May 2022 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

SJB to write to President with proposal today
Reiterates they will not form Government as long as GR remains in office
Sajith says ready to accept responsibility but will not work with crisis instigators
President says all efforts will be made to restore political stability through consensus, within constitutional mandate
Political uncertainty continues with no PM, Cabinet for over 24 hours

By Chandani Kirinde

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will take over the government if President Gotabaya Rajapaksa agrees to resign after appointing Sajith Premadasa as Prime Minister, a senior SJB source said. The

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa

SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa

Party will write to the President today with the proposal, the source said.

“The SJB is not willing to join a government in which Gotabaya Rajapaksa remains as President. He must resign for us to take over,” the SJB member said.

Yesterday the SJB briefed other opposition political parties including the SLPP independent group and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on its proposal.

Later Premadasa in a twitter message said his party is ready to accept any responsibility, but only as long as it does not involve working with any crisis instigators.

The SJB’s conditional offer came as the country remains in political limbo with neither a Prime Minister nor Cabinet since the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday.

Opposition parties have so far rejected the invitation by the President to come for discussions to set up an all-party government with both the SJB and JVP calling for his resignation.

“We don’t have a majority in the House. We cannot trust the President. Even if we take over, he will be able to sack the government at any time,” the SJB source said.

As the political instability continued, sporadic incidents of violence took place in many areas yesterday prompting the President to appeal for calm and an end to violence and acts of revenge against citizens.

“All efforts will be made to restore political stability through consensus, within constitutional mandate and to resolve the economic crisis,” he said in a twitter message.

He is yet to address the public demand for his resignation.