Ranil has no powers to appoint me as PM even if he resigns: Anura

• I never said economy could be revived within six months, basic needs of people should be provided within six months

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera  

Claiming that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had no powers to appoint him as Prime Minister, even if the latter stepped down, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday there was a plan to remove Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister.   

 He told this in parliament responding to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s claim that he was ready to step down and hand over the premiership to JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, if he could revive the economy within six months.  

MP Dissanayake said the Prime Minister had only taken a part of his statement and pointed out that he only said basic needs of the people such as fuel, gas and medicine should be provided within six months and to go for an election afterwards.  

“Neither Ranil Wickremesinghe or myself had a mandate to function as prime minister. Ranil has not even a mandate to sit in parliament,” he said.   

He said the economy which was ruined due to a four-decade long failed economic and political system could not be revived within six months and added that a stable and reliable government should be formed to resolve the present crisis.  

“The country has faced a serious economic turmoil due to longstanding failure of the economy and political culture. This political culture which was influential in this economic debacle should be changed first. The economy cannot be revived within six months. The debt crisis, deficit in the import and export, collapse in production and state revenue cannot be put right within six months.