Lankan PM Wickremesinghe to register new political alliance to contest future polls

Colombo, Dec. 17 (PTI): Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was recently reinstated as the premier by President Maithripala Sirisena, said Monday he would register a new political alliance ‘National Democratic Front’ (NDF) to contest future elections.

Addressing his first rally of United National Party (UNP) supporters after his re-appointment, Wickremesinghe said that Parliament can vote with two-thirds to hold elections.

“We are currently working on forming the National Democratic Front (NDF) to face the next election,” he said.

“We are ready to hold elections constitutionally,” Wickremesinghe said.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said abolishing the executive Presidency and bringing about a political solution will be part of the agenda of his new Government.

An embarrassed Sirisena, whose controversial actions plunged the island nation into an unprecedented political turmoil for nearly two months, reinstated Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister on Sunday, after sacking him on October 26 and appointing ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place and also dissolving Parliament, some 20 months early.

Sirisena was left with no other option following two separate decisions by the Supreme Court, which nullified his illegal moves.

The president said he offered to reappoint Wickremesinghe as the prime minister as he respects parliamentary traditions and democracy.

Ex-strongman Rajapaksa resigned from the post on Saturday, a day after the apex court refused to stay another court order restraining him from acting as the prime minister.