Colombo. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has suspended at least two prominent ministers of the Sri Lankan government for violating party discipline. It was announced on Tuesday. Party general secretary Dayasiri Jayasekhar told reporters, “He has been temporarily suspended till he gives an explanation.”
The SLFP’s central committee, which met last night, sacked Aviation Minister Nimal Siripal de Silva and Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera along with three other junior ministers in President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government. The party said that he had violated the Central Committee’s decision not to be part of the government. This action of suspension has been taken at a time when the Parliament is to vote on the 2023 budget.
However, the suspension from the party does not mean that the two ministers have been sacked from Wickremesinghe’s cabinet. Wickremesinghe, who assumed power amid an unprecedented economic crisis in Sri Lanka, has promised economic reforms to put the country on the path of development. His proposal to privatize some state enterprises was opposed by MPs who alleged that Wickremesinghe also targeted Sri Lanka’s telecommunications department which is making profits.
