Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa rejects calls for resignation

Amid nationwide protests and growing calls for his resignation, Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that he will step down if he loses the majority in the Parliament.

Sri Lanka has been gripped by an economic crisis with foreign debt estimated at USD 51 billion. The country appears to be on the edge of a "humanitarian crisis", according to the United Nations Development Programme, as its financial troubles grow, with rising food prices, and the country's coffers have run dry.

In an interview with Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror, Rajapaksa said "GoHomeRajapaksa" campaigns are being run by only a certain section of the population and but it is not practical.

Over reports of a rift between him and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka Prime Minister said they both were on the "same page" to resolve the ongoing crises as soon as possible.

"Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the President. So I must always respect him as the President. He may be my younger brother, but that is a different matter. That is a personal relationship. Like everyone else we also argue, even in the Cabinet we argue. But our arguments stop there," he said.

Speaking on the nationwide demonstrations calling for his ouster, Rajapaksa said the opinion of the protestors was respected, but it was only a certain section of the population who were asking the government to resign.

"Only certain sections of the people are saying this. There are some groups within this section who are those, who were always against us. It is these people who are asking for us to go. But it is not practical."

Mahinda Rajapaksa explained that his government came to power after the popular mandate. "Just because certain people want us to go does not mean we will go. If people want to change us, they can do it through an election."

Claiming that his voters were still with him, Sri Lankan PM exuded confidence in winning in the next election.

"Just because certain sections are calling on me to go, does not mean those hundreds of thousands who voted for us, want us to go. These protestors alone do not represent the entire population. Although their views are also respected," Rajapaksa said.

(ANI)

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