Stripping Susil of ministerial portfolio: PM defends Prez’s action

By Norman Palihawadana

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (05) strongly defended the sacking of Susil Premjayantha as a state minister.

The PM ,who is also the Chairman of the SLPP, said that members of political parties should act responsibly. The former President said so when The Island sought his opinion on the sacking of Colombo District lawmaker Susil Premjayantha, the first such dismissal of a senior government politician.

Premjayantha was offered the State ministry of Education Reforms, Open Universities and Distance Learning Promotion after Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, rejected it.

PM Rajapaksa emphasised that political parties had no option but to take disciplinary action to ensure the government’s stability.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sacked Premjayantha over his criticism of the government’s controversial agriculture policy.