Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon to resign

Minister of Provincial Councils and Regional Development, Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, says that he will be resigning from his ministerial portfolio.  

Tennakoon, who is a Senior Vice President of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), is to hand over his resignation letter to President Maithripala Sirisena today.

He is believed to be resigning due to the recent special statement made by the President, in which he had declared that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa would lose the election once again. 

Tennakoon had expressed concern following the remarks that had been made by the President while stating that it would be a disadvantage for the party ahead of the August election.

Tennakoon, who was sworn in as a minister on March 22, is the fourth SLFP member to quit the government in protest to President Sirisena’s statement.

Last Thursday, Dr Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Eric Prasanna Weerawardena resigned from their respective Deputy Ministerial portfolios citing the same reason.