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Sri Lanka President Vows Never to Reappoint Ousted Premier Wickremesinghe

Wickremesinghe's party has a majority in the parliament and Sirisena's bid to bring back the country's former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse has already failed.

AFP

Updated:November 25, 2018, 4:53 PM IST
Sri Lanka President Vows Never to Reappoint Ousted Premier Wickremesinghe
File image of Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena.
Colombo: President Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday reignited the political crisis that has crippled Sri Lanka's government for more than a month, vowing never to reappoint arch-rival Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister.

Wickremesinghe's party has a majority in the parliament and Sirisena's bid to bring back the country's former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse has already failed.

But, Sirisena choked back tears in a meeting with foreign correspondents as he accused Wickremesinghe, who he sacked on October 26, of being "highly corrupt".

"Even if the UNP has the majority I told them not to bring Ranil Wickremesinghe before me, I will not make him prime minister," he said, referring to Wickremesinghe's United National Party.

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