High political drama in Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa becomes new PM

Reacting sharply to the development, dislodged premier Wickremesinghe termed the swearing in of Mahinda Rajapaksa as new prime minister as "illegal and unconstitutional

Mahinda Rajapaksa staged a dramatic political comeback on Friday, becoming Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister after President Maithripala Sirisena sacked premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, triggering angry reactions from him and the finance minister who termed the former strongman’s return as  “unconstitutional and illegal”.

Visuals of the former president Rajapaksa taking oath as the premier were released to media and was shown on TV channels.
Rajapaksa, 72, tweeted a photo of him and Sirisena after the swearing in ceremony. “Former #SriLanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa sworn in as new Prime Minister,” he said in the tweet.

The sudden development came after