March 07, 2026 03:54 pm (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Sensex, Nifty tumble as global tensions and Dow selloff rattle Indian markets | Two IAF pilots killed as Su-30MKI fighter jet crashes in Assam | 'Who is the US to permit?': Congress slams Modi govt over Trump administration’s waiver on India’s Russian oil purchase | US makes surprise move: India gets 30-day waiver to buy Russian oil amid global supply crisis | India edge England by 7 runs in thriller to reach T20 World Cup 2026 final | 'Guest of India struck in international waters': Iran furious after US submarine torpedoes IRIS Dena | Bihar's 'Susashan Babu' Nitish Kumar announces exit as CM, set for Rajya Sabha debut | ‘Baseless’: India rejects claims US used its ports to strike Iran | Defiant silence: Iran women’s team refuses anthem days after Khamenei’s death | 'You’ll find out soon': Trump hints at massive retaliation after Riyadh attack, says ‘boots on ground’ may not be needed

Gotabaya appoints both brothers to interim Cabinet

| @indiablooms | Nov 22, 2019, at 03:07 pm

Colombo/UNI: Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday appointed both his brothers to interim Cabinet which is aimed to run the government until the next parliamentary election.

The Tamil minority members came from the Tamil dominated north and from the central tea plantations areas of Tamils of Indian origin. Mahinda Rajapaksa (74), who is appointed on the post of the Prime Minister in the new Cabinet, was also named as the Minister of Defence and Finance while the eldest of the brothers Chamal Rajapaksa (77) was named the Minister of Trade and Food Security.

This is an interim government, Gotabaya Rajapaksa said during the swearing-in ceremony. He said ministers of state would be appointed next week. Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the President cannot hold ministries although he is the head of the Cabinet.

Dinesh Gunawardena, 70, a veteran Marxist politician has been named as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Cabinet appointment is seen as interim until the President dissolves the current parliament and go for a fresh parliamentary election.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa was on Monday sworn in as Sri Lanka's seventh President. He defeated Sajith Premadasa, 52, by more than 13 lakh votes.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.