Sri Lanka crisis: What led to Rajapaksa's reappointment as Prime Minister

The move ushers in a new period of political uncertainty in Sri Lanka, which saw economic growth last year hit the slowest pace since 2001

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said he abruptly fired the island nation’s prime minister in part because he failed to properly investigate an assassination plot against him.

In an address to the nation on Sunday night, Sirisena said the plot was the “most proximate and powerful reason” for replacing Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa. The president said an unnamed cabinet minister was involved in the plot, and officials in the administration were seeking to pressure the investigation.

“Under these political problems, economic troubles and the strong plot to assassinate me, the only alternative open to me was