SLPP washes its hands of sacked Minister, Cabinet down to 16

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Sports, Youth Affairs and Irrigation Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, who was sacked by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday, had severed his links with the ruling SLPP in early 2022 during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s tenure as the President, political sources said.

The Polonnaruwa District MP hadn’t held any position in the party at any level for well over one year, sources told The Island. Therefore, the MP couldn’t expect the party to intervene on his behalf with President Ranil Wickremesinghe, a party senior said.

Ranasinghe was the first to break ranks with the SLPP in the wake of the unprecedented public protest campaign that got underway on March 31, 2022 with a violent protest opposite President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s private residence at Pangiriwatte, Mirihana.

On April 02, 2022, Ranasinghe, who had held the post of State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government announced his intention to vacate his Ministry on May Day, 2022.

MP Ranasinghe also announced the resignation as the Polonnaruwa District Organizer of the SLPP.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has divided the portfolios held by lawmaker Ranasinghe between SJB rebel Harin Fernando and SLPPer Pavitradevi Wanniarachchi with the latter receiving irrigation whereas Fernando got Sports and Youth Affairs.

Ranasinghe was the first Cabinet Minister sacked by President Wickremesinghe. Earlier Nazeer Mohamed of the SLMC lost his Cabinet portfolio after the SC deemed him to have vacated his seat. Sources said that on both occasions, President Wickremesinghe chose not to increase the number of ministers by appointing new ministers to portfolios previously held by sacked ministers.

The Cabinet has been reduced to 16 though there were 38 State Ministers, sources said. In terms of the Constitution, the President can appoint 30 Cabinet ministers.