India has told the top figures of the Sri Lankan government that Ranil Wickremesinghe’s election as the successor President upon any decision made by Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down cannot be approved of, internal sources said.
The Indian counterpart has pointed out that since the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is a political party that came to power through a democratic election and has parliamentary power, it should appoint one of their own MPs as the next President, according to sources.
They added that it is not acceptable according to democratic principles for Wickramasinghe, who has no mandate in the General Election, to become the President.