Chandrasena resigns, Ranjith to be CM

19 September 2012 11:24 am

Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife S.M.Chandrasena tendered his resignation to President Mahinda Rajapaksa this afternoon after he was assured that his brother S.M.Ranjith would be appointed as Chief Minister of the North-Central Province
 
Minister Chandrasena told Daily Mirror that he sacrificed his ministerial portfolio on behalf of his brother after the Executive Committee of the UPFA told him that two persons in the same family could not hold two ministerial posts simultaneously.

 “I tendered my resignation to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and he accepted it with the assurance that my brother would be appointed Chief Minister of the Notrth Central Province,” Mr Chandrasena said.

Mr. Bertie Premalal Dissanayake who held the post of chief ministerfor three consecutive terms since 1999 will relinquish his post.

Mr. Chandrasena told Daily Mirror he was sacrificing his ministerial portfolio on behalf of his brother after the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) executive committee informed him that two members of the same family could not hold two ministerial posts simultaneously.

He said that his brother and he would not be able to do politics in the North-Central Province if his brother who secured the highest number of preferential votes on the UPFA list was not appointed chief minister.

“We waged war in Anuradhapura during the PC election campaign against our own party men and, therefore, it was a huge achievement to obtain the highest number of votes and the post of chief minister,” he said. Mr. S.M. Ranjith topped the preferential votes list in the Anuradhapura District on the UPFA ticket. He received 105,232 votes. The UPFA has not yet decided what position will be given to Mr. Bertie Premalal Dissanayake.( SAJ)

Related:
Audio: UPFA attacks on me unprecedented: Berty
Berty Premalal second in A’pura
Audio: Berty says raid not linked to him
I did not disturb A/L exam - Berty
CM will not be from Polonnaruwa; Berty
I will be the CM till I die - Berty