Rajapaksa govt in Lanka loses majority

Colombo: President Goatabya Rajapaksa's ruling party,Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna(SLPP) on Tuesday lost its majority in Parliament as 42 MPs announced they would sit independently.

Among the 42 MPs, 14 are from Sri Lanka Freedom Party, 10 belong to constituent parties of the government, and 12 are SLPP MPs, among others.

The ruling SLPP-led alliance won 146 seats in the 225-member Parliament in the 2020 general election.

Tuesday's development comes amid an ongoing turmoil in the island nation due to the country's worst ever economic crisis, triggering widespread anti-government protests.

On Monday night, Rajapaksa had said that he will not resign, but was ready to hand over the government to whichever party holds 113 seats in Parliament.