Sri Lanka: Former President Mahinda Rajpaksa Sworn-In As New Prime Minister After Wickremesinghe’s Resignation

Sri Lanka's former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as the island country's 23rd Prime Minister in the presence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Thursday (21 November).

Rajapaksa, who served as the Sri Lankan President from 2005 to 2015, will lead the government's caretaker cabinet until the general election, the Sunday Times reported.

The development comes a day after his predecessor and leader of the former ruling United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe resigned from the post.

Wickremesinghe tendered his resignation after his party's presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa lost last 16 November presidential election.

Mahinda Rajpaksa, the elder brother of the newly-elected President Gotabaya Rajpaksa, will function as the prime minister of the caretaker cabinet until the general election in August 2020.

The 74-year-old leader earlier served as the country's president from 2005-2015. He was also prime minister for a brief period in 2018.

(With inputs from IANS)