Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva expressed these views at a press conference held on Wednesday (03) at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Headquarters.
Maithripala Sirisena has stated that if he comes to power he would appoint Ranil Wickremasinghe as the Executive Prime Minister under the provisions of the 37th clause of the Constitution. But this is not practical.
What is stated in the 37th clause is a Prime Minister can be bestowed executive power only in a case of illness of the Executive President or on an occasion he leaves the country. Even if the common candidate becomes the Executive President the powers of the Prime Minister should be given to the present Prime Minister D.M.Jayarathna. In case the Prime Minister is not able to accept the appointment it should then be given to Chamal Rajapaksa who is again another Rajapaksa. Members of the SLFP are not prepared to offer the Executive Premiership to Ranil on a platter, he added.
Minister for Plantation Industries Mahinda Samarasinghe and Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Dullas Alahapperuma were also present.(NJ/KH)
