Sri Lanka crisis Sri Lanka crisis: Students march to PM Mahinda Rajapaksa's house in rain as protests spiral
Colombo/IBNS: The Sri Lankan crisis spiralled on Tuesday with the Mahinda Rajapaksa government temporarily shutting down embassies in Australia, Norway and Iraq.
Meanwhile, in Colombo, protests continued outside the house of Prime Minister Rajapaksa with lawyers and students hitting the streets and marching in the rain despite police warnings.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's ruling coalition lost its majority in parliament after at least 41 lawmakers walked out of the alliance on Tuesday.
The MPs from parties aligned with Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)-led coalition and said they would now independently represent themselves, BBC reported on Tuesday.
The situation has deepened the political crisis in Sri Lanka which is reeling under the worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948.
Tuesday's development comes as the country grapples with power cuts and shortages due to an economic and foreign exchange crisis.
This has triggered mass protests demanding Rajapaksa's resignation.
The MPs who have distanced themselves from the government have not extended support to the opposition. Rajapaksa's cabinet has already resigned.
The President has called on opposition parties to help him form a national government and accept cabinet portfolios.
But the opposition has rejected the offer and instead told the President to resign.
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