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Ranil to continue as PM, Cabinet reshuffle today
View(s):The two-week long tug of war between partners in the coalition Government is set to end today when President Maithripala Sirisena swears in a new Cabinet with Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister. The new ministers have been informed to be present at the Presidential Secretariat at 11 a.m. today for the swearing in ceremony.
This is the result of President Maithripala Sirisena ironing out most of the differences between his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party. The issues were triggered after the results of the local government elections of February 10 when both parties suffered defeat. Earlier President Sirisena urged Premier Wickremesinghe to step down blaming his Government’s policies for the defeat. However, the Premier told a news conference he would not step down nor could he be removed except by Parliament.
Government sources said yesterday that there would be 36 ministers in keeping with provisions of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution and that the coalition would continue.