Cabinet Reshuffle Today

Hoping to rejuvenate the Government with new appointments, President Maithripala Sirisena’s much-anticipated Cabinet reshuffle will take place this morning at 10 am, Secretary to the President Austin Fernando said yesterday.

This would be the second Cabinet reshuffle effected by the government since it took office in 2015. Special Assignment Minister Sarath Amunugama is slated to get additional responsibilities, according to sources.

National Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages Minister Mano Ganesan when inquired said that ministers were informed by the Presidential Secretariat to arrive early, by 9:30 a.m..

The reshuffle comes just two months after the two main parties in the Unity Government, the UNP and the SLFP, found themselves on the back foot against the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) backed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at the Local Government elections that were held on 10 February.

The Government’s defeat at the LG polls resulted in a No-Confidence Motion being brought against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, by the Joint Opposition, which was defeated by a majority of 46 votes.

Thereafter 16 SLFPers, including six Cabinet Ministers, who voted in favor of the No-Confidence Motion against the Premier, decided to sit in the Opposition as an independent SLFP group.

Accordingly, MPs Susil Premajayantha, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Dilan Perera, John Seneviratne, Lakshman Wasantha Perera, Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Tharanath Basnayake, Susantha Punchinilame, Anura Yapa, S.B. Dissanayake, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Chandima Weerakkody, Anuradha Jayaratne, Sumedha Jayasena and Thilanga Sumathipala will sit in the Opposition side of the aisle in Parliament.