• PM Mahinda Rajapaksa is doing a wonderful job
• Dreaming of impossibilities is the order of the day in politics and in journalism 

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

Cabinet spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana yesterday pooh-poohed the comment made by a journalist that the government was in a move to appoint UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe or Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister shortly.    

The journalist raised the question at the weekly post cabinet virtual news briefing as to whether the government was mulling over the idea to appoint Mr. Wickremesinghe as the PM, with the intention of using his shrewdness in politics at this difficult hour and considering his alleged strong international relations, or Mr. Basil Rajapaksa on his organisational acumen and economics skills.   

“This is news to me. I hear this from you. The government has no intention whatsoever to replace our Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at any stage of the SLPP’s rule as he is doing a wonderful job as the Prime Minister commanding respect not only of the government but also from the opposition.”   

“However, there is no harm in dreaming of impossibilities because it is the order of the day in politics and in journalism,” Minister Dr. Pathirana noted sarcastically.