According to internal government sources, Minister Basil Rajapaksa is considering giving the post of State Minister to Geetha Kumarasinghe and Diana Gamage.
Diana Gamage, who came to Parliament from Sajith Premadasa’s Samagi Jana Balawega National List, was brought in by Basil Rajapaksa to join the ruling party to get the 20th Amendment passed by a two-thirds majority, promising to give her a cabinet ministerial post.
The Deshaya national newspaper has reported that there are currently three vacancies in state ministries. Accordingly, the posts of state ministers held by Lohan Ratwatte, Susil Premajayantha and Dilum Amunugama have been vacated.
Minister of State Lohan Ratwatte resigned on the instructions of the Government due to the crisis in the duties of his Ministry. Susil Premajayantha was removed from his post due to political criticism made by the Minister of State. Minister of State Dilum Amunugama has been promoted to a Cabinet Ministerial post, leaving the post vacant.
It is reported that the post of Minister of State for Prisons held by Lohan Ratwatte will be handed over to the Minister of Justice Ali Sabri. However, the post of Minister of State for Susil Premajayantha and the post of Minister of State for Dilum Amunugama remain vacant.
