A People's Alliance government headed by Mr Ratnasiri Wickremanayake assumed office for the second time in Sri Lanka on Friday even as the country was mourning the death of elderly stateswoman Sirimavo Bandaranaike. In a simple ceremony at her Temple Trees residence, President Chandrika Kumaratunga administered the oath to the 67-year-old Wickremanayake, who led the People's Alliance to victory in the 11th parliamentary elections. He was the only member who took oath today. The rest of the cabinet ministers are expected to be sworn in next week.
The brief swearing-in ceremony was attended by almost all the newly-elected parliamentarians of the ruling party and its alliances. The president had invited Mr Wickremanayake to form the government after the PA emerged as the single largest party with 107 seats in the 225-member house, where 113 seats are required for a majority.
Its two minority allies - National Unity Alliance (NUA) and Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) with 4 seats each, extended support to the PA, thus giving it the parliamentary majority. One independent member also pledged support to the PA. Bureau Report