Mamata on 4-Day Delhi Visit Amid Oppn Unity in Question

Last Updated: August 04, 2022, 09:03 IST

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (PTI)

Mamata Banerjee, whose Delhi visits generally are for Opposition unity show, is making a visit to the national capital at a time when Opposition unity is in question

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be arriving in Delhi on Thursday for a four-day trip, with Niti Aayog meeting chaired by PM Modi and a meet with President Droupadi Murmu among agendas in her to-do list.

Mamata Banerjee, whose Delhi visits generally are for Opposition unity show, is making a visit to the national capital at a time when Opposition unity is in question.

The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has taken stand to abstain from Vice President election, a decision said to be taken by the party over the way opposition candidate was chosen. This has raised questions over Opposition fabric.

Mamata Banerjee’s Delhi trip comes over a month after she was in the national capital for the Opposition meeting initiated by her to pick a joint candidate for the presidential election.

Mamata Banerjee will participate in Niti Aayog meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 7. Sources inside the party said, “Didi fighting for her State demand, it’s important to represent state in such meeting that’s why we think she is coming.

Along with Niti Aayog meeting, Mamata Banerjee plans to meet President Droupadi Murmu days after the presidential poll in which TMC was supporting Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.

Read all the Latest News and Breaking News here

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/mamata-on-4-day-delhi-visit-amid-oppn-unity-in-question/?feed_id=6336&_unique_id=62eb43e197f89

Sri Lanka president seeks unity government amid economic crisis

President Ranil Wickremesinghe aims to form an "all-party government" to battle the economic crisis that led to months of lengthy blackouts and shortages of food, fuel and medicine in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's president says said the inflation currently running at 60.8 percent could go up further. (Reuters)

Sri Lanka's new president Ranil Wickremesinghe has formally invited MPs to join an all-party unity government to revive the bankrupt economy by undertaking painful reforms, his office has said.

In a meeting on Saturday with the influential monks of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, one of Buddhism's most sacred shrines, Wickremesinghe outlined his plans.

"As the president, I wish to start a new journey," Wickremesinghe was quoted by his office as telling the monks in his first meeting with the powerful Buddhist clergy since taking office.

"I would like to get all the parties together and go on that journey as well as to form an all-party government."

He has written to all lawmakers asking them to join a unity government.

Wickremesinghe took office earlier this month after public anger over the island nation's worst economic crisis forced his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and quit.

READ MORE: Sri Lanka delays agreement with IMF 'due to unrest'

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Mp-DQsIhc[/embed]

Wickremesinghe's rise to power

A former opposition MP, Wickremesinghe, 73, took up the premiership for the sixth time in May after Rajapaksa's elder brother Mahinda resigned and there were no other takers for the job.

Wickremesinghe went onto become the president after Gotabaya escaped on July 9 when tens of thousands of protesters angry at the economic crisis stormed the presidential palace.

He fled to Singapore from where he resigned five days later and Wickremesinghe became interim president and later won a vote in parliament confirming his ascension.

Sri Lanka's 22 million people have endured months of lengthy blackouts, record inflation and shortages of food, fuel and medicines.

Since late last year, the country has run out of foreign exchange to finance even the most essential imports.

In April, Sri Lanka defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt and opened bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.

READ MORE: World Bank not to offer new funding for bankrupt Sri Lanka

Expanding cabinet

Wickremesinghe told monks that the economy would decline further this year with a contraction of 7.0 percent, but expected a recovery next year.

"I am working to re-stabilise this economy and build the economy in such a way that the country can be developed by 2023, 2024.

"It is a difficult task. But if you don't do it now, it will be more difficult. We should think about whether we should try to cure the patient by giving medicine or let the patient die without giving medicine," he added.

After he was elected president, Wickremesinghe appointed an interim cabinet leaving the door open for others to join.

He has called a new session of parliament from Wednesday and is expected to expand the 18-member cabinet to accommodate members from opposition parties.

READ MORE: For ordinary Sri Lankans every day is a battle

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/sri-lanka-president-seeks-unity-government-amid-economic-crisis/?feed_id=4635&_unique_id=62e63eb666c13