• People irrespective of party politics want the President to resign
• We have sought IMF assistance sixteen times in the past. We had to privatise state enterprises when obtaining IMF loan
• A new political leadership should be brought in to find solutions to the economic crisis

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera 

Claiming that it was pointless talking about any solution to the present economic crisis unless President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigns, National People’s Power MP Vijitha Herath said yesterday an impeachment should be moved against the President if he was not willing to quit. 

He told Parliament that if this political crisis was not resolved, it was not possible to address the economic crisis as well. 

He said all the people irrespective of party politics appeal to the President to resign and added that it was pointless talking about any solution without his resignation. 

MP Herath said new political leadership should be brought in to find solutions to the economic crisis and said it was the only solution to the issue. 

He also said if this government also acted arbitrarily, it should be defeated by moving a no-confidence motion against it. “We are ready to support both impeachment and no-confidence motion,” he said. 

Commenting on the moves to seek IMF assistance, he said they were against the government adhering to IMF conditions, which were detrimental to the country. 

“We have sought IMF assistance sixteen times in the past. We had to privatise state enterprises when obtaining IMF loans. What we should do is to talk to the IMF to reschedule our loans through a third party,” he said.