No decision by Sri Lanka PM to resign yet: spokesman

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has made no decision to resign, his spokesman said as a ‘hartal’ brought the country to as standstill Friday and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called an emergency cabinet meeting .

“Prime Minister has not decided to resign yet,” spokesman Rohan Weliwita said.

The emergency cabinet meeting was called as protesting university students surrounded the Parliament and Speaker Mahinda Abeywardene promised to call a party leaders meeting Monday after opposition members demanded that a no confidence motion against the President and PM be taken up.

“There were opinions at the during the cabinet and there were some suggestions to Prime Minister to resign,” a government source who declined to be named said after the cabinet meeting.

“The President was leading the cabinet and he was really keen to somehow resolve this issue even with the resignation of the Prime Minister.”

Deputy Speaker Ranjith Siyambalapitiya who was elected with 148 votes including government members Thursday resigned saying he felt he could not hold the position due to the ruling party support.