By APD writer Easwaran

COLOMBO, Nov. 5 (APD) – Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena is to convene Parliament on Monday to resolve a deepening political crisis in the country.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, left, with President Maithripala Sirisena during Mr. Rajapaksa’s swearing-in as prime minister on Friday in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, on Thursday, said that the President had conveyed the decision to convene Parliament on Monday to him.

The move comes after the President last week prorogued Parliament till November 16th after withdrawing from the unity Government and sacking Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister.

Mahinda Rajapaksa was later appointed as Prime Minister but Wickremesinghe and his political party, the United National Party, refused to accept the move, calling it unconstitutional.

Foreign governments and local civil society also expressed outrage over the move and demanded that Parliament be convened immediately to determine who has the majority support in Parliament to be Prime Minister.

The sacking of the former Prime Minister saw the President appoint a new cabinet till elections are held in 2020.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)