Kathmandu, May 12
Faced with a serious economic crisis and a lack of critical supplies, President Gotabaya
Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka has begun the process of appointing a new prime minister.
He had stated previously, under the condition of anonymity, that he would not resign but
would instead select a new prime minister.
In Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on Monday amid violent protests.
To avoid the protesters, he is said to have found refuge in the Navy.
According to the online edition of the Hindustan Times from India, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has served as Prime Minister five times, is at the forefront.
In the 225-member parliament, he is said to be at the forefront of leading a cross-party unity government. A senior presidential official told the AFP news agency that he will be sworn in today.
In the face of countrywide protests, the president spoke to the nation on television on
Wednesday night. Inside a televised address, Rajapaksa stated, ”I will reveal the name of the prime minister who will earn the majority and the trust of the people in the parliament.”
The economic crisis in Sri Lanka, which has a population of 22 million people, has resulted in severe food, fuel, and medical shortages, as well as power failures.
Over the last three days, violent protests in Sri Lanka have killed at least nine individuals and injured over 200 others.
