Sri Lankan PM refuses to resign, says 'will go if I lose Parliamentary majority'

Colombo (Sri Lanka), April 27: Amid nationwide protests and growing calls for his resignation, Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa refused to quit and said that he will step down if he loses the majority in the Parliament. Sri Lanka is in the midst of an economic crisis with foreign debt estimated at USD 51 billion. The island nation appears to be on the edge of a "humanitarian crisis", according to the United Nations Development Programme, as its financial woes grow, with rising food prices and the country's coffers have run dry. Talking in an interview with Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror, the Prime Minister said "GoHomeRajapaksa" campaigns are being run by only a certain section of the population and but it is not practical. In response to allegations of a rift between him and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan Prime Minister stated the two were on the "same page" in their efforts to settle the country's ongoing crises as soon as possible. "Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the President. So I must always respect him as the President. He may be my younger brother, but that is a different matter. That is a personal relationship. Like everyone else we also argue, even in the Cabinet we argue. But our arguments stop there," he added. Also Read | PM Modi to hold virtual Covid review meeting with CMs In response to widespread protests calling for his ouster, Rajapaksa claimed that while the protestors' opinions were respected, only a small portion of the population demanded that the government resign. "Only certain sections of the people are saying this. Some groups within this section are those, who were always against us. It is these people who are asking for us to go. But it is not practical," he said. Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that his government was elected after a popular mandate. "Just because certain people want us to go does not mean we will go. If people want to change us, they can do it through an election." Claiming that his voters were still with him, the PM exuded confidence in winning in the next election. "Just because certain sections are calling on me to go, does not mean those hundreds of thousands who voted for us, want us to go. These protestors alone do not represent the entire population. Although their views are also respected," Rajapaksa added. Also Read | Tamil Nadu: 2 kids among 11 electrocuted during temple procession -PTC News