MR to be sworn in as PM today

By Lahiru Pothmulla 

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa will be sworn in as Prime Minister before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this afternoon, thus assuming premiership for the third time, sources said. 

Cabinet of caretaker government comprising 15 ministers is expected to be sworn in today or tomorrow 

He was appointed Prime Minister in 2004 and contested the presidential election in 2005 to be elected as the fifth Executive President. Upon his defeat at the presidential election in January 2015, he contested the general elections from Kurunegala to be elected to Parliament in August the same year. He was appointed premier by President Maithripala Sirisena in October 2018 and became Opposition Leader 52 days later. 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to appoint a caretaker government following the resignation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Moreover, the Cabinet of the caretaker government comprising 15 ministers is expected to be sworn in today or tomorrow. 

Party leaders of the Joint Opposition and three SLFP MPs are expected to be appointed to the posts. Accordingly, Dinesh Gunawardana, Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Udaya Gammanpila, Douglas Devananda, Arumugam Thondaman and Nimal Siripala de Silva are expected to be included in the Cabinet.