Leader of the United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn-in on December 16 for a fifth time as the Prime Minister ending a nearly two-month long political crisis, reports Colombo Page. UNP leader Mr. Wickremesinghe took oath before President Maithripala Sirisena at the auspicious time of 11:16 at the Presidential Secretariat.
Earlier, on December 15, controversially appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned from the premiership ending a power struggle precipitated by President Maithripala seven weeks ago when he ousted the incumbent Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with Rajapaksa, reports Colombo Page. "Since I have no intention of remaining as Prime Minister without a general election being held, and in order to not hamper the President in any way, I will resign from the position of Prime Minister and make way for the President to form a new government," Rajapaksa said in a televised address to the nation.