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SRILANKA-POLITICS-PARLIAMENT
Sri Lanka crisis: President’s party to keep parliament shut
COLOMBO, Nov 1, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena’s party on Thursday reignited a constitutional crisis over who heads the government by going back on a decision to end a suspension of parliament.
Sirisena set off the crisis last Friday by sacking Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister and bringing in former strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse. Wickremesinghe refused to accept the dismissal and the president suspended parliament.
Sirisena told diplomats on Thursday that he was lifting the suspension so parliament could meet next Monday — opening up the possibility of a vote on which of the rivals should govern.
But Mahindananda Aluthgamage, the spokesman of Sirisena’s party, later told reporters that “the parliament will reconvene only on November 16”.
BSS/AFP/MMA/2007HRS