Katunayake (Sri Lanka), Nov 07: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe returned home today for a showdown with President Chandrika Kumaratunga who tightened her grip on power during his trip to Washington. Wickremesinghe was greeted by senior cabinet ministers and several thousand supporters sporting the green of his united national party on his arrival early morning at the airport at this town, 25 kilometres north of Colombo.


Party supporters were also seen lining the route from the capital to the Bandaranaike International Airport, named after Kumaratunga's father, late premier Swrd Bandaranaike, while trees were festooned with green bunting.

Some supporters had gathered with picnic breakfasts and were being entertained by music bands awaiting the premier's cavalcade.

On Tuesday, Kumaratunga sacked three ministers and suspended parliament, following this up a day later with a declaration of a state of emergency and a take-over of the state-run media.


Just before leaving Washington, Wickremesinghe vowed to sort out the biggest challenge to his 21 month-old government, even as Kumaratunga was consolidating her hold on the military and the police.
Bureau Report