Basil compel for ministerial portfolios for pro- Rajapaksa gang ! Again Rajapakses tighten the grip ?

Reports say that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is to urge President Ranil Wickremesinghe to present Cabinet portfolios for their district leaders when forming a new government.

SLPP founder - Basil Rajapaksa has held a meeting with party seniors in this regard, reports say.

Accordingly, Johnston Fernando, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, S.M. Chandrasena, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Nimal Lanza and Namal Rajapaksa have been tipped for cabinet portfolios.

At the present, secretaries have been appointed after gazetting 28 ministries.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is currently holding discussions with political parties to form an All Party Government.

Sources from the Presidential Secretariat say that MPs from the North-East and Estate regions are to be given ministerial portfolios to ensure maximum services to Tamils masses in those regions.

Accordingly, Jeewan Thondaman, A.L.M. Athaullah, C.V. Vigneswaran, A. Aravinda Kumar and Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan are likely to receive ministerial portfolios, sources add.