By APD writer Easwaran

COLOMBO, Dec. 4 (APD) -- Sri Lanka’s deposed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Tuesday, agreed to hold early elections if the proper process in followed.

Wickremesinghe’s United National Front (UNF) refused to budge from its main conditions to agree for an early Parliamentary election.

Wickremesinghe told reporters that the UNF has no issue with agreeing to an election.

However he insisted that the process to hold an election can take place only once a legal Government is in place.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister on October 26th and appointed former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister.

Later a new cabinet was also appointed but Wickremesinghe refused to accept the decision saying it went against the Constitution.

The President then dissolved Parliament and called for early elections but Wickremesinghe and other political parties challenged the dissolution in court and the court suspended the order.

On Monday a local court also issued an order temporarily suspending the functions of the Prime Minister and his cabinet.

Wickremesinghe said that if everyone wants an early election there is no need for the UNF to oppose it.

However he said the Constitution must be protected and no one can work against it.

Wickremesinghe said that the UNF is not prepared to bypass the Constitution under any circumstances.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)