Sri Lankan PresidentMaithripalaSirisenatoday reshuffled his Cabinet for the fourth time and changed the portfolios of 18 ministers, weeks after six ministers had resigned from his National Unity Government
The reshuffle followed months of political impasse since the local Council Electionmid-February, win which the ruling coalition of the SLFP and the UNP had suffered a crushing defeat in the hands of the Rajapaksa's new party.
Six Cabinet ministers had resigned on April 12, after they voted against Prime MinisterRanil Wickremesinghein the no-trust motion moved by former PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa-ledJoint Opposition on April 4.
Following the resignations, four acting Cabinet ministers were sworn-in on April 12 by the President
In today's reshuffle, former Justice MinisterWijeyadasa Rajapakshe, who was sacked in August last year, was appointed as the Ministerof Higher Education and Cultural Affairs.
The Higher Education portfolio was earlier held by Kabir Hashim, who was appointed as the Ministerof Highways and Road Development, while Thalatha Athukorala was made the Ministerof Justice and Prison Reforms
Former Sri LankaArmy Chief And Field MarshalSarath Fonseka, who was holding the charge of the Regional Development Ministry, was sworn in as the Ministerof Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development.
The United People%27s Freedom Alliance(UPFA) General SecretaryMahinda Amaraweera, who was the Fisheries Minister, was appointed as the MinisterOf Agriculturewhile SLFP General Secretary, who was holding the charge of the Agriculture Ministry, was appointed as the Ministerof Irrigation and Water Resources Management and Disaster Management
Following the reshuffle, two portfolios of Social Empowerment and Labour Relations, which were earlier held by the UPFA members, were given to the coalition partner the UNP.
P Harrison of the UNP was made the Ministerof Social Empowerment while Ravindra Samaraweerawas appointed as the Ministerof Labour and Trade Union Relations.
Ministerfor Provincial Councils And Local GovernmentFaiszer Musthapha, who was made the acting Ministerof Sports, was sworn-in as the Provincial Councils And Local Governmentand Sports Minister
Lakshman Kiriella was made the Ministerof Public Enterprise and Kandy Development; Sarath Amunugama, the Ministerof Science, Technology and Research, Skills Development and Vocational Training, and Hill Country Heritage; S B Navinna, the Ministerof Internal Affairs and Wayamba Development.
The Irrigation and Water Resources Management and Disaster Managementportfolio was given to Duminda Dissanayake, while Public Administrationand Management and Law And Orderportfolios to Ranjith Maddumabandara.
Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa was made the Ministerof Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economy, while D M Swaminathan, the Ministerof Rehabilitation, Resettlement, Northern Development and Hindu Religious Affairs, Sagala Ratnayake, the Ministerof Project Management, Youth Affairs and Southern Development, while Mano Ganesan as the Ministerof National Co-existence, Reconciliation and OfficialLanguages, and Daya Gamage the Ministerof Social Welfare and PrimaryIndustries.
The Joint Opposition had been demanding a snap parliamentary poll ahead of the August 2020 schedule, but according to the Constitution, no election can be called before February 2020.
The next national election will be to elect the president, which must be called by November next year.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)