India will benefit from the arrival of Rajapaksa as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka: Subramanian Swamy

New Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Prime Minister sacked, Ranil Wickremesinghe. (File)

In his first reaction to the turmoil in Sri Lanka, former President Mahinda Rajapakse made an astonishing return to power as the country's new prime minister, Rajya Sabha, MP Subramanian Swamy, congratulated the leader and said that India would enjoy good relations with Sri Lanka under the leadership of Rajapakse.

"I am happy because he is a convinced nationalist. It will not sacrifice that sovereignty, even a bit, for any country / terrorist group. India will enjoy good relations with him, "he told the ANI news agency.

The United States urged Sri Lankan political parties to abide by the Constitution on Friday Abstaining from any violence, constitutional crisis after President Maithripala Sirisena sacked his former ally, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and made the man highly controversial, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the new Prime Minister.

The Department the US state said in a tweet. "We expect the SL government that it meets the commitments made in Geneva regarding human rights, reform, accountability, justice and of reconciliation, "said the State Department's Office for Central and South Asia.

President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe The events occurred on Friday, even as Wickremesinghe aq ualified the approach of "illegal and unconstitutional", claiming that he was still the Prime Minister and that he would prove his majority. This decision was taken after the differences between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe, particularly on political issues related to the economy and security. Wickremesinghe's government members described Friday's move as a coup.

Read | Sudden change of regime in Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapakse is back, now Prime Minister

"The appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister is unconstitutional and illegal. Mangala Samaraweera, outgoing government finance minister, said on Facebook.

Reacting to Rajapaksa's appointment, the dismissed prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, said he had no intention of leaving his post. "I have the majority. I will act as Prime Minister. I will stay as Prime Minister, "he said.

Many constitutional lawyers, political activists, and experts debated on social media and on Sri Lankan television until early Saturday to determine if the ouster of Wickremesinghe was legitimate.The Executive Director of the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka called for a vote to resolve the crisis.

"What the President should do immediately, it is now to convene Parliament and vote, that is the democratic way to resolve this crisis, "he said.

Rajapaksa obtained the required majority in Parliament, which has 225 members. He also presided over Sri Lanka as president for nine years starting in 2005, accumulating immense power and popularity among the largely Sinhalese population after overseeing the brutal defeat of Tamil rebels by the military in 2009, ending 25 years of civil war. Some supporters hailed him as a king and a savior. But he has also been criticized for not allowing the opening of an investigation into allegations of war crimes by the army.

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