Cracks appear in Sri Lanka’s coalition Government after sacking of two Cabinet Ministers

Gamini Lokuge who replaced Mr. Gammanpila as the Energy Minister said it was wrong for the sacked Ministers to be critical while being members of the Cabinet

Sri Lanka’s Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara on March 7 said he will boycott Cabinet meetings to protest the sacking of his two colleagues by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa during a snap Cabinet reshuffle last week, underlining the deep-rooted fissures within the ruling coalition Government.

On Thursday, Mr. Rajapaksa sacked two high-ranking Cabinet Ministers — Udaya Gammanpila from the Energy Minister portfolio and Wimal Weerawansa, Industries Minister — after they openly criticised his younger brother and Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa, accusing him of having a rigid working style that caused the island nation’s ongoing economic woes.

Sri Lanka is currently reeling under a severe foreign exchange crisis with falling reserves and the Government is unable to foot the bill for essential imports.

The ousted Ministers were members of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

“My party’s central committee has decided that I stay away from attending Cabinet meetings but continue to function as a Minister,” Mr. Nanayakkara said.

Both Mr. Gammanpila and Mr. Weerawansa have taken potshots at the younger Rajapaksa, terming him as an “ugly American” for holding dual citizenship. The Rajapaksa family has a strong political image in Sri Lanka and holds a tight grip on the island nation’s politics.

Following the 2019 Sri Lankan elections, the Rajapaksa family has kept several portfolios in the current Government under their control.