Sri Lanka crisis: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa softens, calls a meeting of political parties on possible government formation

Amid mounting pressure on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to resign, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called a meeting of political parties on Wednesday to discuss a possible formation of an all-party government to end the country's long-standing political deadlock. According to a statement, in a letter to all party leaders in the ruling coalition, it has been said that the government has agreed to form an all-party government involving parties represented in Parliament.

The meeting has been fixed for April 29

It said a meeting has been fixed for April 29 to discuss the new arrangement following the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The move comes in the backdrop of pressure within the ruling coalition to resign the prime minister to make way for an interim government.

However, the President's statement contradicts the stand taken by his elder brother and the country's Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has said that he will not resign and an interim government will be formed under his leadership. Both the President and the Prime Minister are under increasing pressure through massive public protests demanding their resignations over the country's worst economic crisis.

In Debt-ridden Sri Lanka, demonstrations taking place across the country

Debt-ridden Sri Lanka has been grappling with an unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis is due to a lack of foreign exchange, which means the country cannot pay for imports of food and fuel. The Sri Lankan Election Commission on Tuesday urged all political parties to come together to form an all-party government or a similar body to end the political deadlock in the country.

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