Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa-led govt emerge stronger after defeat of Opposition candidate in Deputy Speaker election

In a major victory for Sri Lanka's embattled Rajapaksa clan, their nominee on Thursday emphatically won a key vote for the a position of Deputy Speaker in Parliament, demonstrating the government's ability to prove their parliamentary majority despite raging public protests demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for mishandling the worst economic crisis in decades.

MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, who was backed by the ruling coalition led by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, was re-elected as the Deputy Speaker with 148 out of 225 MPs voting in favour of him while Imithiaz Bakeer Markar, who was nominated by the main opposition the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) received only 65 votes.

Three votes were rejected, and six MPs including "dissident" government member Wimal Weerawansa were absent during the vote.

Siyambalapitiya, a member of the former President Maithripala Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), had resigned as his party SLFP decided to stay independent of the government. He had been bouncing back and forth between the deputy speaker position since early last month, and his re-election followed his latest resignation that was accepted by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on May 3.

Despite the SLFP going independent, the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) decided to back Siyambalapitiya in their bid to show that the government majority was intact. Speaking after his election as the Deputy Speaker, Siyambalapitiya said he had expected to be unanimously appointed by both the government and the Opposition.

The main Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said they decided to field their nominee Markar as they had learnt the ruling SLPP was to back Siyambalapitiya at a possible secret vote.

Premadasa accused Siyambalapitiya as a ''government stooge.'' The government majority was seen as fragile since the decision by some 40 lawmakers from the ruling coalition declaring independence in view of the raging public protests calling for the resignation of the entire Rajapaksa family.

With more members from the ruling coalition calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to make way for an interim government of all parties, Rajapaksa stayed put claiming majority.

The Deputy Speaker's vote appears to have restrengthened his position, experts said.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa are coming under increasing pressure to step down in the simmering economic meltdown where people struggle with all essentials, including having to put up with power cuts.

In an impassioned speech following the vote, Opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam said that the near two thirds' vote in favour of Sri Lanka's government-backed deputy speaker candidate revealed the likelihood of the government easily defeating a proposed no confidence motion against it, the EconomyNext news website reported.

Rasamanickam said that only 65 MPs were with the people of Sri Lanka who have been demanding the resignation of the government, while 148 MPs continue to stand for the ruling Rajapaksa family.

"They're here to save the Rajapaksas. No matter what no confidence motion is brought against this government, these dramatists, crooks and liars will never vote against the Rajapaksas," he was quoted as saying.

The TNA MP also berated former prime minister and United National Party (UNP) MP Ranil Wickremesinghe for allegedly supporting the government during the vote.

"It's clear that this is all theatre. We saw the former PM, who sits in the opposition, approaching each individual sitting here this morning asking them to support Mr Siyambalapitiya," the MP claimed.

Former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe told parliament following Siyambalapitiya's re-election that the lack of consensus on the Deputy Speaker post which was contested by two candidates from the opposition ranks shows the country the divisions within the House.

Wickremsinghe urged the house to work together and solve the pressing issues in the country, warning that otherwise the public will reject parliament as an institution in its entirety.

Sri Lanka's government has been facing a wave of protests around the country with an increasingly furious public demanding its resignation. The main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) has tabled a no confidence motion against the government, but it is unclear at present how much support it will be able to muster in favour of it.

The SJB has handed over to the Speaker two motions of no-confidence against the SLPP coalition government and embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa under Article 42 of the Constitution.

Article 42 stipulates that the President is responsible to Parliament for the exercise, performance and discharge of his functions.

Any motion needs seven days' notice before getting into the order paper for debate. A date has not yet been announced for a vote on the no-confidence motions.

The Opposition parties accuse top government officials of excessively printing money, hurting farm production by banning chemical fertilizers to make the production fully organic and minimize import costs, failing to order COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner and buying them later at higher prices.

Sri Lanka is currently in the throes of unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices.

Thousands of demonstrators have hit the streets across Sri Lanka since April 9, as the government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines and electricity supply.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)