Courtesy Adaderana

PM Mahinda Rajapaksa says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has never asked him to resign from his position.

During an audience with the chairpersons, mayors, and members of local government institutions today (April 27), PM Rajapaksa also expressed confidence that the President would not ask him to do so, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

These remarks came amidst growing agitations against the incumbent government, with protesters calling for the resignation of the President, the Premier, and the Cabinet of Ministers.

At the meeting, the local government authorities passed a unanimous resolution that the Prime Minister should not vacate his position at the moment, according to the PM’s Office.

PM Rajapaksa also told the local government authorities that the government would rebuild the country even with foreign aid.

However, earlier today, it was reported that the President, on principle, is willing to form an all-party government with the political parties representing the parliament.

He had conveyed this in a letter directed to the political party leaders representing the ruling faction.

The structure, the tenure, and the portfolios of this all-party government, which is to be established after the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers, need to be agreed upon following discussions, the President had said further in his letter.

As the first step for this purpose, the President has also called a meeting this Friday (April 29) with the participation of all political party leaders in the ruling faction, the leaders of political parties that represented the government after the 2020 general election and currently sit independently in the House.