President Ranil Wickremesinghe was quick to console his close allies, Harin and Manusha, after they learned that their expulsions were finalized. President Wickremesinghe met with them yesterday morning, thanked them for their support, and assured them not to worry. Harin stated that he was in good spirits, while Manusha warned the SJB that if they thought they could be pushed out of politics, they were sadly mistaken.
The two former ministers, who ceased to be MPs and had to vacate their portfolios following the ruling, informed the President that they were leaving with their heads held high, as they had made the decision to leave Sajith Premadasa and work for the country at a time when it needed them the most. Now, it seems they are going to put all their weight behind Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Wickremesinghe, who was reportedly upset over the duo having to vacate their ministries, expressed his appreciation for their hard work and requested them to remain with him. Both pledged their continued support to the President and to get involved in Wickremesinghe’s campaign.
“The President has given me the task of leading his 100 rallies, so I am going to fully commit myself to that. If he wins, I will decide later whether to contest for a seat,” Fernando said, emphasizing that he had no regrets.
The Ministries of Tourism, Youth, and Sports will now fall under the purview of the President, while the Ministries of Lands and Foreign Employment will come under the Prime Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena. However, a State Minister of Tourism is expected to be sworn in due to the peak tourism season, the Daily Mirror has learned.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, both Harin and Manusha told the media that they had undertaken a ‘suicide mission’ even when the SJB had refused to join the government back in 2022. What they did not mention was that it was a well-rewarded suicide mission, which included two ministerial portfolios
