Sri Lanka’s president Sirisena to reconvene parliament on November 5, says new PM Rajapaksa

Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena named Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister on Friday after abruptly dismissing the government of Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena will reconvene parliament on November 5, newly appointed prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Thursday, as international pressure builds to resolve a political crisis.

Sri Lanka's newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa waves at the staff after participating in the ceremony to assume his duties as the minister of finance and economic affairs at the finance ministry in Colombo, Sri Lanka October 31, 2018. (Reuters Photo)

Sirisena named the pro-China Rajapaksa as prime minister on Friday after abruptly dismissing the government of Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Wickremesinghe has said his removal is unconstitutional and has demanded he be allowed to prove his parliamentary majority.

“President has decided to reconvene the parliament on 5th,” Rajapaksa said addressing a meeting at the prime minister’s office.

Sirisena had earlier prorogued the parliament till November 16 but political parties and foreign powers urged an earlier session to resolve the crisis.