10 August 2024 06:02 am Views - 5268
By HUZEFA ALIASGER
Moments after the Supreme Court judgement determined that the decision to expel Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara from the SJB was legally valid, President Ranil Wickremesinghe met Harin and Manusha last morning and thanked the two for their support and requested them 'not to worry'.
The two former ministers who ceased to be MPs and had to vacate their portfolios soon after the ruling informed the President that they were leaving with their heads held high as they had taken a decision to leave Sajith Premadasa and work for the country at a time when the country needed them the most.
Wickremesinghe who had been upset over the duo having to vacate their ministries said he appreciated their hard work and requested them to remain with him.
Both of them pledged to remain with the President and get involved in Wickremesinghe's campaign. "The President has given me the task to lead his 100 rallies, so I am going to get myself fully involved in that. If he wins, I will decide later if I will contest for a seat," Fernando told Daily Mirror.
Manusha himself will also get involved in the President's campaign.
The Daily Mirror learns that following the expulsion of Harin and Manusha from the Parliamentary seats, the Ministries of Tourism, Youth and Sports will come under the purview of the President.
The Ministries of Lands and Foreign Employment will come under the purview of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.
However, a state minister of Tourism will be sworn in due to the peak tourism season, the Daily Mirror learns.
Following the Supreme Court ruling yesterday, 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.