Basil Rajapaksa, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's younger brother, has resigned from Sri Lanka's parliament a month after their elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned as prime minister after prolonged protests against the country's economic crisis.
The younger brother of Sri Lanka's president, Basil Rajapaksa — who is the country's former finance minister — has resigned from parliament, the second brother from the influential family to step away from government amid the country's severe economic crisis.
"From today, I will not be involved in any government activities but I cannot, and will not, step away from politics," Basil Rajapaksa told reporters. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned as prime minister last month after prolonged protests against the economic crisis turned deadly.The three Rajapaksa siblings have been key players in Sri Lankan politics for decades, but are blamed by protesters who have taken to the streets in their thousands in recent months for mishandling the island nation's economy.
Infighting between the brothers has also played a part in Sri Lanka's slide into turmoil, however, Basil Rajapaksa is likely to retain influence, Reuters has reported.The country of 22 million people is suffering its worst economic crisis in seven decades, with shortages of fuel, medicines and cooking gas brought about by a severe lack of foreign exchange stalling imports.
Sri Lanka's new prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is now leading efforts to find a way out of the crisis, with negotiations underway with the International Monetary Fund for a loan program and support from friendly countries, including India and China.
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