'Not in my lifetime'
President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday reignited the power struggle that has crippled Sri Lanka's government for more than a month, vowing never to reappoint arch-rival Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister.
Wickremesinghe's party has a majority in parliament and Sirisena's bid to replace him with the country's former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse has already failed.
But Sirisena choked back tears in a meeting with foreign correspondents as he accused Wickremesinghe, who he sacked on October 26, of being "highly corrupt".
"Even if the UNP has the majority I told them not to bring Ranil Wickremesinghe before me, I will not make him prime minister," he said, referring to Wickremesinghe's United National Party.
"Not in my lifetime," he added in comments that the UNP said showed the president uses Sri Lanka like his own "private coconut estate".
Sirisena dismissed Wickremesinghe following a host of personality and political clashes since they formed a coalition in 2015.
Sirisena said at his official residence that he will appoint a commission to investigate corruption under Wickremesinghe since January 2015.
"He is corrupt. His economic policies are not good for local industries. He pursued an extremely liberal form of government that is not compatible with our culture."
Wickremesinghe's UNP hit back at the former ally. "He can choose any superintendent for his private coconut estate, but in government he must recognise the leader of the largest single party in parliament," UNP spokesman Harsha de Silva told AFP.
Sri Lanka's parliament meets on November 27 and 29 to discuss a motion by the UNP to cut off government spending.
Government finances will stall on January 1 unless a 2019 budget is passed.
If the UNP wins the vote, it could force Rajapakse to withdraw his claim to the leadership, and compel Sirisena to name a prime minister from the UNP.
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