President says can’t go back on his word to Ranil
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has told representatives of the opposition leader – Sajith Premadasa that he cannot go back on his word he had given to Ranil Wickremesinghe, reports say.The President has responded thus to a letter sent to him by Mr. Premadasa this afternoon (12) stating that he is ready to take over the post of Prime Minister.
The President has stated that it was the opposition leader whom he initially invited to take up the position of PM, in the wake of the current crisis. However, the opposition leader had repeatedly declined this.Since Mr. Wickremesinghe had responded favourably to my request to accept the position of PM, I have already invited him to come to be sworn in this evening, the President has said.
However, the President has informed the Opposition Leader that he could become the PM with the backing of the Parliament majority.