Colombo, July 11: All cabinet ministers in Sri Lanka have resigned, Wijedasa Rajapaksa said on Monday saying it paves the way to establish an all-party government even as they awaited Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation.
Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa said: “Nominations to elect a new President from Parliament will be called on July 15 after convening Parliament. Nominations will be accepted on July 19 and a vote is due on July 20, if the President resigns as schedule on Wednesday.”
Meanwhile, protesters who stormed the Sri Lankan President’s House discovered 17.85 million in rupees (about $50,000) in crisp new banknotes as they ransacked the British-built building here and turned over the money to security forces, media reports said on Monday. “The cash was taken over by the police,” a police spokesman said.
Official sources said a suitcase full of documents had also been left behind at the stately mansion as Gotabaya Rajapaksa escaped the previous night with the help of the Sri Lanka Navy.
President Rajapaksa took up residence at the two-century-old building after he was driven out of his private home on March 31 when protesters tried to storm it.
Rajapaksa has informed Prime Minister Wickremesinghe from an undisclosed destination that he will be resigning on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police R.A. Liyanage of the Special Task Force (STF) has been interdicted for failing to foil an arson attack on journalists on Saturday opposite the private residence of Wickremesinge which was then set on fire.
Wickremesinghe has announced that he too will step down if consensus is reached on forming a unity government.
Another six persons from two families in Sri Lanka’s north reached Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on Monday by sea due to the worsening economic crisis in the island nation.
Many other Sri Lankans have been detained while trying to flee the country by boasts, both to India and Australia.
The succession process could take between three days — the minimum time taken to convene parliament — and a maximum of 30 days allowed under the constitution.
The main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) said it was trying to secure support for its leader Sajith Premadasa, son former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, to take over as the new President.
Former Rajapaksa loyalist Dullas Alahapperuma, a former minister, was tipped to be the new Prime Minister.
On Monday, tens of thousands were still occupying the Presidential Palace, the nearby Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s “Temple Trees” official residence.
The protesters say they will vacate the palace only after the President resigns as promised.
Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt in April and is in talks with the IMF for a possible bailout.
With UNI Inputs…
