Al Jazeera News, Colombo, Sri Lanka :
For a brief moment on Thursday, it appeared as though Sri Lankan politicians might be able to return soon to the country’s suspended parliament to thrash out their differences over who should be prime minister – and thus end an acrimonious power struggle that has shaken the South Asian nation.
The idea took shape in the morning when newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa told academics at his office that President Maithripala Sirisena had decided to lift the suspension and resume sessions on Monday.
The declaration was nearly as shocking as Sirisena’s decision on October 26 to fire Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replace him with Rajapaksa, a popular and controversial former leader that the president had defeated in a 2015 election.
Critics said Wickremesinghe’s ouster was the first illegal transfer of power since Sri Lanka established an electoral democracy in 1931. Citing constitutional amendments passed in 2015, they argued the president does not have the authority to sack a prime minister.
Still, many expected Sirisena to withstand mounting local and international pressure and stick to his apparent plan to give Rajapaksa time to muster support in the 225-member legislature.
That’s why Wickremesinghe, who maintains he commands majority in the House and has been calling for a parliamentary vote,
was quick to celebrate when the news of Rajapaksa’s statement broke.
“The people’s voices have been heard,” he said in a triumphant post on Twitter. “Democracy will prevail.”
INSIDE STORY: Is Sri Lanka on the path to dictatorship? (24:55)
The mood at Temple Trees, the prime minister’s official residence, where Wickremesinghe has remained holed up over the past week, was jubilant.
But the day dragged on without an official statement from the president’s office. Then in the late afternoon, two associates of Rajapaksa made an abrupt u-turn in a news conference, saying Sirisena will keep parliament shut until November 16 in line with his initial suspension order.
Legislators Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Susil Premajayantha did not stop there. They said that even when parliament reconvenes, the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) – a coalition between Sirisena and Rajapaksa’s parties – does not plan to hold a confidence vote and allow legislators to choose between the two leaders claiming the prime minister’s role.
“We have decided to convene parliament on November 16,” Aluthgamage told reporters. “That’s because we need time to present a people-friendly budget.”
He added: “There is no vote scheduled for November 16.”
Then, as morning broke on Friday, some 118 legislators from all political parties except the UPFA showed up at the parliament house, demanding Speaker Karu Jayasuriya defy the president’s suspension and convene the House immediately. The figure is five more than the majority of 113 a prime miniter requires to stay in power.
Jayasuriya told legislators Sirisena made a verbal commitment the previous day to summon parliament on November 7.
“I am trying by best to resolve this non-violently, but if that fails I have to think of alternatives,” he told the politicians in an apparent sign he was not willing to back down on resuming parliament.
There was still no comment from Sirisena’s office. But the huge show of strength once again reignited hopes Wickremesinghe may survive as prime minister.
“This tug of war will continue for some time,” said Rajitha Keethi Tennakoon, a Colombo-based political analyst.
“It’s very difficult to predict what might happen – the only place to watch is the president’s secretariat,” he said.
For a brief moment on Thursday, it appeared as though Sri Lankan politicians might be able to return soon to the country’s suspended parliament to thrash out their differences over who should be prime minister – and thus end an acrimonious power struggle that has shaken the South Asian nation.
The idea took shape in the morning when newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa told academics at his office that President Maithripala Sirisena had decided to lift the suspension and resume sessions on Monday.
The declaration was nearly as shocking as Sirisena’s decision on October 26 to fire Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replace him with Rajapaksa, a popular and controversial former leader that the president had defeated in a 2015 election.
Critics said Wickremesinghe’s ouster was the first illegal transfer of power since Sri Lanka established an electoral democracy in 1931. Citing constitutional amendments passed in 2015, they argued the president does not have the authority to sack a prime minister.
Still, many expected Sirisena to withstand mounting local and international pressure and stick to his apparent plan to give Rajapaksa time to muster support in the 225-member legislature.
That’s why Wickremesinghe, who maintains he commands majority in the House and has been calling for a parliamentary vote,
was quick to celebrate when the news of Rajapaksa’s statement broke.
“The people’s voices have been heard,” he said in a triumphant post on Twitter. “Democracy will prevail.”
INSIDE STORY: Is Sri Lanka on the path to dictatorship? (24:55)
The mood at Temple Trees, the prime minister’s official residence, where Wickremesinghe has remained holed up over the past week, was jubilant.
But the day dragged on without an official statement from the president’s office. Then in the late afternoon, two associates of Rajapaksa made an abrupt u-turn in a news conference, saying Sirisena will keep parliament shut until November 16 in line with his initial suspension order.
Legislators Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Susil Premajayantha did not stop there. They said that even when parliament reconvenes, the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) – a coalition between Sirisena and Rajapaksa’s parties – does not plan to hold a confidence vote and allow legislators to choose between the two leaders claiming the prime minister’s role.
“We have decided to convene parliament on November 16,” Aluthgamage told reporters. “That’s because we need time to present a people-friendly budget.”
He added: “There is no vote scheduled for November 16.”
Then, as morning broke on Friday, some 118 legislators from all political parties except the UPFA showed up at the parliament house, demanding Speaker Karu Jayasuriya defy the president’s suspension and convene the House immediately. The figure is five more than the majority of 113 a prime miniter requires to stay in power.
Jayasuriya told legislators Sirisena made a verbal commitment the previous day to summon parliament on November 7.
“I am trying by best to resolve this non-violently, but if that fails I have to think of alternatives,” he told the politicians in an apparent sign he was not willing to back down on resuming parliament.
There was still no comment from Sirisena’s office. But the huge show of strength once again reignited hopes Wickremesinghe may survive as prime minister.
“This tug of war will continue for some time,” said Rajitha Keethi Tennakoon, a Colombo-based political analyst.
“It’s very difficult to predict what might happen – the only place to watch is the president’s secretariat,” he said.
