Sri Lanka President meets party representatives sans JVP

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena had asked for another no-confidence vote against Mahinda Rajapaksa using a name call, or electronic voting, in the wake of two motions that were passed with a show of hands.

Supporters of Rajapaksa, ripped up furniture, electronic items and threw them at the speaker, who was protected by a police cordon, during the last vote after occupying the speaker’s chair.

Sirisena had called on legislators to avoid violence.

President Sirisena had also had a telephone conversation with United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, whom he had refused to re-appoint as PM, reports said.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna boycotted the meeting.(Colombo/Nov18/2018)