TIL Desk/World/Colombo/ Ranil Wickremesinghe was on Sunday reinstated as prime minister of Sri Lanka by Maithripala Sirisena, ending a 51-day constitutional crisis triggered by the president’s controversial move to sack him in a power tussle that had crippled the government in the island nation.
Wickremesinghe,the 69-year-old United National Party leader, was administered the oath ofoffice by President Sirisena, who had sacked him on October 26 and installed former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place.
The UNP leader had refused to step down asserting that his sacking was illegal. His re-appointment comes a day after Rajapaksa resigned, after two crucial Supreme Court decisions made his efforts to cling to premiership untenable.
“Today marks a victory not for myself or for the UNP. It is a victory for Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions and the sovereignty of our citizens. I thank everyon ewho stood firm in defending the constitution and ensuring the triumph of democracy,” Wickremesinghe said after assuming office.
