MS agrees to appoint UNP MP as State Minister of Law and Order

Sounding what appears to be a conciliatory note, President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have agreed to appoint two members of the United National Party (UNP) one of them as the Minister of Media and the other as the State Minister of Law and Order.

He had met a group of senior UNPers including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and MP Kabir Hashim on Monday night.

During the national unity government with the UNP, there was a separate ministry for law and order with the Police Service under its purview but with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) breaking ranks with the UNP, the President retained the Police Department under the Defence Ministry held by him.

Meanwhile, there is no Cabinet Minister appointed for the Media Ministry. (Kelum Bandara)