Sri Lanka:All 26 ministers resign as unrest, crisis heighten

In Sri Lanka, economic crisis has turned into a political crisis after all 26 minsters of the cabinet quit en masse on Sunday night.  However, Mahinda Rajapaksa will continue to remain Prime Minister. Sri Lanka's education minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the country's cabinet, except for President Gotabaya and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, has resigned en masse from their positions at a late-night meeting on Sunday. Sri Lankan Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, taking to Twitter, said that he had informed the secretary to the President of his resignation from all portfolios with 'immediate effect.'

I have informed the sec. to the President of my resignation from all portfolios with immediate effect, in hope that it may assist HE & PMs decision to establish stability for the people & the govt of #LKA. I remain committed to my voters, my party & the people of #Hambanthota.

— Namal Rajapaksa (@RajapaksaNamal) April 3, 2022

The en masse resignations clear way for the prime minister to appoint new cabinet. On Sunday, the country saw protests by opposition leaders too.  The action by ministers come as people face 13-hour blackouts, shortage of fuel and other essentials amid foreign exchange shortage. "#GoHomeRajapaksas" and "#GotaGoHome" have been trending for days on Twitter and Facebook in the island nation, which is battling severe shortages of essentials, sharp price rises and crippling power cuts in its most painful downturn since independence from Britain in 1948. It has also marked a sharp turnaround in political support for Rajapaksa, who swept to power in 2019 promising stability.