Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is sworn in as Prime Minister in a political drama

The installation of Rajapaksa as the prime minister of the country fears to plunge Sri Lanka into a constitutional crisis because of the 19th amendment that does not allow the expulsion of Wickremesinghe from Prime Minister's Office without obtaining a majority vote.

Lanka, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was officially sworn in as prime minister of the island nation on Friday. Reuters quoted television reports that Rajapaksa was sworn in as the country's prime minister, in the presence of President Maithripala Sirisena and several other leaders of the opposition.

The abrupt political evolution has manifested as a result of the declaration of the People's Alliance for Freedom (UPFA) of President Sirisena. that he canceled the coalition with the Unified National Party (UNP) of former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. This led President Sirisena to appoint Rajapaksa as prime minister and to replace Wickremesinghe as prime minister of Sri Lanka, according to a semi-presidential mode of government. President Sirisena's party ended the coalition after tensions broke out between him and Wickremesinghe.

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"The swearing in of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is "illegal and unconstitutional", sacked the Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe was quoted as said by PTI. "I will continue to be the prime minister. The appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa is unconstitutional, "he added.

The Old #SriLanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as the new Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/cveo0PuUF7

– Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) October 26, 2018

The coalition government was formed in 2015 when Sirisena was elected president with the Wickremesinghehe's support, ending a nearly ten-year reign led by strong president Rajapaksa.

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According to political badysts, the installation of Rajapaksa as the country's prime minister could plunge the country into a constitutional crisis because of the 19th amendment that does not allow the Wickremesinghe expulsion from the Prime Minister's Office without obtaining a majority vote

The former President of Sri Lanka @PresRajapaksa was sworn in as prime minister before President Maithripala Sirisena, evolution that has evolved over the last two or three hours. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/HH9Unq3UXL

– Arun Janardhanan (@arunjei) 26 October 2018

Rajapaksa and Sirisena together have 95 seats and are short from a simple majority. UNP uprooted Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, UNP, holds 106 seats in an individual capacity, seven seats less than the majority.

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