Dealing with former PM akin to working with “Political Devil”: former President

• PM Wickremesinghe had instructed former Ministers not to work according to my instructions

The Yahapalana Government was like a mismatched marriage and dealing with former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was like dealing with a ‘political devil’, former President Maithripala Sirisena said giving evidence to the PCoI probing Easter Sunday attacks on Monday.   

Testifying before the Commission, the former President said that disputes arose between him and the former Prime Minister. within the very first week of the Yahapalana Government, 

  
“Within the first week of the former government, Wickremesinghe wanted to appoint Arjuna Mahendran as the Governor of Central Bank, but I was not in favour of that decision, since Mahendran was a citizen of Singapore.” he said.   

“But Wickremesinghe continued insist that Mahendran was the right person to handle the Central Bank. I did not want to create a conflict within a week of coming to the office and I left it at that,” he said.   

“PM Wickremesinghe had instructed former Ministers not to work according to my instructions,” he said.  He said that after the 52-day government, most of the ministers did not obey his directives.   

Within the first week of the former government, Wickremesinghe wanted to appoint Arjuna Mahendran as the Governor of Central Bank, but I was not in favour