Rajapaksa's critics gain control of Sri Lankan Parliament's panel | News from the world

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI, Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) – Lawmakers opposed to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have taken control of a key committee charged with defining the parliamentary agenda during a vote that brought a severe blow to his leadership.

Sri Lanka has been in a political crisis since October 26, when the president brutally dismissed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and named Rajapaksa. Both claim to be the rightful holder of the office, Wickremesinghe claiming that he enjoys majority support in Parliament and that his dismissal was invalid.

Last week, President Karu Jayasuriya announced that Sri Lanka had no prime minister or government after Parliament passed motions of censorship against Rajapaksa. Sirisena and Rajapaksa both refused to accept the results of the motions, saying the proper procedures were not followed.

When Parliament convened on Friday, Jayasuriya announced that members of the parliamentary selection committee were seven opponents and five supporters of Rajapaksa.

Legislators supporting Rajapaksa refused to accept the list, arguing that they were running the government and should therefore have a majority in committee in accordance with parliamentary traditions. Opponents to Rajapaksa said that they should control the committee because they hold a majority in Parliament and asked for a vote.

Before the vote, Wimal Weerawansa, a lawmaker supporting Rajapaksa, accused Jayasuriya of violating parliamentary traditions and being a stakeholder of Wickremesinghe. Jayasuriya was elected to the Parliament of the United National Party of Wickremesinghe

"If you do not accept the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers, we will not accept you either as President of this Parliament," said Weerawansa, before going out with other people supporting Rajapaksa. .

A nominative vote was then held via the electronic voting system and the opposition obtained control of the committee with 121 votes in favor and no votes against.

The results also showed that Rajapaksa did not hold the majority of the 225 members of Parliament, which is a setback for his Loyalists who claimed it.

Friday's vote went calmly compared to the previous two that had taken place during serious unrest. Parliament became violent when motions of censorship were passed last week as rival lawmakers exchanged blows, while lawmakers supporting Rajapaksa threw books, chairs and chili powder mixed with water. water to try to block the procedure. Jayasuriya used votes.

Rajapaksa rejected the results of the vote, saying important issues should not be decided by voice. He also insisted that the president did not have the power to dismiss him and that he continued to work as prime minister. Lawmakers opposed to Rajapaksa said his government was illegal.

Jehan Perera, head of the National Peace Council's local analyst group, said the government appointed by the president can not be considered legal because Sirisena has not asked for a parliamentary vote when he has dismissed Wickremesinghe.

Rajapaksa is considered by some members of the Sinhalese ethnic group as a hero who ended a long civil war by crushing Tigers rebels of the Tamil ethnic group. However, his time in power has been tainted with allegations of atrocities of war, corruption and nepotism.

Tensions between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe have increased for some time, with the president not approving the economic reforms introduced by the prime minister. Sirisena also accused Wickremesinghe and another Cabinet member of conspiracy to murder, a charge that Wickremesinghe repeatedly denied.

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