Ranil - Basil dispute over ministerial positions?

It is reported that President Ranil Wickramasinghe has rejected Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) founder - Basil Rajapaksa's proposal to grant the majority of ministerial positions in the proposed national government to SLPP MPs.

It is also said that the President had told Mr. Rajapaksa that such discussions should be done as a party rather than in an individual manner.

Mr. Rajapaksa had retorted that state ministers who had voted for Mr. Wickramasinghe in the presidential vote, have been requesting their state ministerial positions from him. 

The SLPP has submitted a list of 16 MPs for ministerial positions.

However, a group of MPs that are to crossover from the opposition, have informed the President not to give ministerial positions to Namal Rajapaksa, Johnston Fernando, Rohitha Abeygunawardena and Mahindananda Aluthgamage who are named in the aforementioned list.

Meanwhile, it is said that a proposal to not gazette the scopes of state ministers this time has also been submitted to the President.

At the end of this discussion, the President has stated that discussions should be held with political parties in the next fortnight to form a government.

Ministers to be sworn in next week

However, the state owned ‘Silumina’ newspaper has reported that the new cabinet will be appointed in the coming week, before the Appropriation Bill will be taken up for debate on the 29th.

According to reports, TNA MP - C.V. Vigneswaran, Patali Champika Ranawaka of 43 Division and MP Kumara Welgama are to join the government.

Meanwhile, it is also reported that there is an opinion among the SLPP MPs that the apparent dispute between Ranil Wickremesinghe and Basil Rajapaksa is a sham and is merely a strategy to avoid giving ministerial portfolios to SLPPers.

Accordingly, SLPP MPs are to take a decision on voting for several matters such as the Appropriation Bill and the implementation of emergency laws in the future.