Ranil Wickremasinghe was sworn in as the new prime minister of Sri Lanka on Thursday. Taking oath in a private ceremony, the new PM said, “I want to settle this problem to ensure the supply of petrol, diesel, and electricity for people.”
The appointment of Ranil comes amid the call for a unity government by President Gotabaya Rajapksa to calm down protestors. However, a section of the opposition and the public are skeptical that the new PM (Wickremesinghe) could act at the behest of the President.
A week back, frustration among the public peaked into violent protests seeking the ouster of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. Later, clashes between Rajapaksa supporters and the protestors raged over the island nation following Mahinda Rajapaksa’s resignation.
Though Ranil Wickremesinghe is the only lawmaker from his party in the 225-member parliament, he came as a widely accepted choice. The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Perumana (SLPP), a section of the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), and other parties support Wickremasinghe’s appointment.
Ranil Wickremasinghe, the 73-year-old five-time PM from the United National Party (UNP), is perceived as a promising candidate with far-sighted policies and international cooperation. Referring to India’s timely economic assistance, he said, “I want a closer relationship, and want to thank Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi.”
Since the year beginning, India has offered more than $3 billion in aid to Sri Lanka in loans, credit lines, and currency swaps. Soon as the news of Ranil Wickremesinghe broke, India said it looks forward to working with the new government in Sri Lanka “as per the democratic process,” adding New Delhi’s commitment to the people of the island nation will continue.
Sri Lanka is facing the worst-ever economic and political turmoil in several decades. With dwindling forex reserves and mounting international debts, the country’s economy is on the verge of collapse. Though India and China have been footing in with emergency aid, the nation requires an urgent debt restructuring plan from IMF to reverse the crisis.
Image Credit: The Morning