Ex-finance minister Basil Rajapaksa resigns from Parliament

Basil Rajapaksa, the youngest brother of Sri Lanka’s president and former finance minister, resigned from his parliamentary seat on Thursday, the second such resignation from the cash-strapped government in a month from the powerful Rajapaksa family amid massive public protest over the unprecedented economic crisis in the country.Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Basil said, "I resigned my seat to allow Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to nominate someone suitable.”

Asked if he had preempted resignation as he would be disqualified to be in Parliament through the proposed 21st Amendment (21A) to the Constitution due to his holding of both the US and Sri Lankan dual citizenship, Mr. Basil, the youngest of the Rajapaksa brothers, said it wasn’t so. Mr. Basil, however, said he is opposed to the 21st Amendment, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported. The 21A aims, among other reforms, at barring dual citizens from contesting elections to hold public office. The 21st Amendment is also expected to annul the 20A to the Constitution, which gives unfettered powers to President Gotabaya after abolishing the 19th Amendment that will strengthen Parliament.In a direct attack on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mr. Basil said he is against presidential powers being pruned to be vested with a Prime Minister not elected by the people. His elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa had to resign amid public anger against the government's inability to handle the economic crisis.Mr. Wickremesinghe last week batted for the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, saying it will curb the president's unlimited powers while enhancing the role of Parliament in governing the debt-ridden country which is also facing an unprecedented political turmoil.