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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena sacked the country's prime minister and his cabinet with a strongman, creating what some observers said could be a constitutional crisis in the South Asian island nation.
The prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, told reporters Friday that he had no intention of leaving his post. "I have the majority. I will function as the prime minister. I will remain as the prime minister, "he said.
Sirisena informed Wickremesinghe that he was being replaced by Mahinda Rajapaksa, according to help Mahinda Amaraweera.
Amaraweera, a lawmaker from Rajapaksa's party, said Rajapaksa had a majority in the 225-member Parliament.
Constitutional lawyers, political activists and pundits debated on the social media and Sri Lankan TV
The constitution says the president has the right to make somebody in the parliament.
But the 19th amendment, added in 2015, says a prime minister can only be elected when a member of Parliament is passed, or when he chooses to resign.
"At the moment," said Jehan Perera, executive director of the nonpartisan National Peace Council of Sri Lanka.
"What is the president now should be summoned to Parliament and have a vote. That's the way to resolve this crisis, "Perera said.
Rajapaksa ruled Sri Lanka as president for nine years beginning in 2005, accumulating immense power and popularity among the country's ethnic majority Sinhalese after overseeing the military's brutal defeat of ethnic Tamil rebels in 2009, ending a 25-year civil war. Some supporters hailed him as a king and savior.
But he also was criticized for failing to allow an investigation into allegations of war crimes by the military. Under his government, dozens of journalists have been killed, abducted and tortured, and some of the country's fearing for their lives. He lost a bid for re-election in 2015 amid mounting allegations of corruption and nepotism.
His return to power as prime minister could be that of Sri Lanka, observers said.
The move was an unexpected turn after weeks of controversy over allegations of an assassination plot against the president.
A police informant and self-described Sri Lankan anti-corruption activist, Namal Kumara, said last month that he had a taped conversation with Silva's Nalaka, head of the terrorism investigation department, describing a plan for a murdered killer to Sirisena.
An indian man who was identified as Mr Thomas was arrested at Kumara's house on suspicion of involvement in the plot. Thomas appeared in court and was sent to a psychiatric hospital for further medical examination.
Sri Lanka and neighboring India, after an Indian newspaper reported that Sirisena had accused India's intelligence services of involvement. Sirisena denied the newspaper's account.
Police say they are investigating the claim and that Kumara has been questioned and not charged with any offense.
Police arrested on Silva on Thursday, not for the alleged plot against Sirisena on suspicion of plotting to kill his deputy, Prasanna Alwis.
It was not until the end of the second half of the world, when it was concluded that the two sides of the world had a pledge to tackle corruption.
Sirisena, who was health minister under Rajapaksa, and Wickremesinghe joined forces to defeat Rajapaksa in the 2015 election. Sirisena was elected president by Wickremesinghe's party.
After winning the presidency as a neutral candidate, Sirisena accepted an offer from Rajapaksa to take over Sri Lanka's Freedom Party. Since then, party rivalries have been simmered within the government, with Rajapaksa leading a splinter Freedom Party group.
Members of Wickremesinghe 's government called Friday' s move.
"The appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister is unconstitutional and illegal. This is an undemocratic blow, "Mangala Samaraweera, finance minister of the outgoing government, said on Facebook.
A private TV network loyal to Rajapaksa televised him being sworn in as the new prime minister.
Rajapaksa then visited a Buddhist temple in Colombo – a typical rite of passage for new leaders to receive religious blessings.
Some 200 supporters, gathered outside Rajapaksa's home late Friday to congratulate him. One of them, Amal Prasanna, said the move was "totally unexpected" but he was happy Rajapaksa had returned.
"We expect economic development and a good future for our children," he said.
Traditionally, Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party has had the advantage of liberalization and liberalization of the economy, while Wickremesinghe's United National Party leans right and has championed reforms to open up Sri Lanka's economy.
His government also pleaded justice for those accused of committing atrocities in Rajapaksa's rule.
Wickremesinghe had survived a no-confidence motion in Parliament in April, which was brought back by supporters of Rajapaksa. The main allegation against Wickremesinghe involved his appointment of a Singaporean as the central bank governor who is now accused of leaking into his debt.
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