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The Sri Lankan parliament on Wednesday rejected the government of formerly strongman Mahinda Rajapakse, which had been controversial, eliminating a controversial figure but triggering a new confrontation with a hostile president.
Colombo was plagued by a power vacuum as a 19-day government had been overthrown before the legislature, leaving the country without a prime minister and a cabinet of ministers.
The island nation is in crisis since the dismissal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Oct. 26 by the president, who replaced him with Rajapakse, president until his election three years ago.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court overturned the dissolution of Parliament by President Maithripala Sirisena and suspended preparations for early elections, which greatly boosted the deposed prime minister.
On Wednesday, in stormy scenes, lawmakers issued a verdict on the two rivals – the majority of the 225-member assembly supported a no-confidence motion against Rajapakse.
Parliament has also passed motions declaring Sirisena's November 9 proclamations illegal for the change of power.
However, the result does not yet mean that Wickremesinghe, who refused to leave the prime minister's residence, won the constitutional showdown.
In his first response to the tumultuous events in parliament, Sirisena accused President Karu Jayasuriya of violating legislative traditions.
He added that the signatures of 122 legislators who opposed Rajapakse had not been certified authentic, but had not been totally rejected by a resolution against his candidate for the post of prime minister.
An aide to the president had previously indicated that Sirisena was likely to hand over power to the Wickremesinghe Unified National Party (UNP), which remains the largest group in the assembly after the vote.
The day-to-day administration in Sri Lanka remains paralyzed by the crisis. Constitutionally, it is the president who has the power to appoint a new prime minister.
The UNP said that Sirisena now had to appeal to Wickremesinghe to form a new government.
Wickremesinghe, who left his bunker at the official residence of Temple Trees for the first time in almost three weeks to go to Parliament, welcomed the vote.
"It's a victory for the people," Wickremesinghe told the press, condemning the president's "illegal" actions.
He added that those responsible should no longer follow the orders of the so-called "government" led by Rajapakse.
– Loyalists flee –
In a chaotic sitting, Rajapakse, 72, and his son, legislator Namal, came out of the red carpet room just before the vote.
"They have it," announced the speaker. "I declare that this House does not trust the (Rajapakse) government".
Several Rajapakse ministers stepped out of parliament, accusing the president of violating parliamentary standards.
"There is no bloody case that calls for a vote," said House leader Dinesh Gunawardena. Shortly after the fall of Rajapakse's government, three of his ministers passed Wickremesinghe's side.
Sirisena dissolved Parliament on Friday, shortly after the admission that Rajapakse did not have a majority. Several UNP legislators have stated that they had been offered up to $ 2.8 million by default.
Sirisena ordered early elections on January 5, a decision that the Independent Electoral Commission declared unconstitutional and illegal.
A dozen petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court, which reinstated Parliament on Tuesday and suspended the January 5 vote.
Parliament held its first session following the high security court decision.
Thousands of armed police, including commandos, were deployed along the main access roads to Parliament, located on an artificial lake island, with several riot units waiting.
Parliament representatives feared that Rajapakse's supporters would try to prevent lawmakers from going to Parliament, but these concerns proved unfounded.
A majority of the Sri Lankan parliament supported a no-confidence motion against the current-named former president and prime minister, Mahinda Rajapakse (C)
A majority of the Sri Lankan parliament supported a no-confidence motion against the current-named former president and prime minister, Mahinda Rajapakse (C)
Sri Lanka is in crisis since the dismissal of Prime Minister by President Ranil Wickremesinghe (L)
Several Rajapakse ministers have accused Sri Lankan parliament speaker Karu Jayasuriya of violating parliamentary standards by organizing the crucial vote on the censorship vote.
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