The Sri Lankan Parliament Friday unanimously elected its prime minister, 71-year-old Dingiri Banda Wijetunga, to serve the 19 months remaining in the term of assassinated President Ranasinghe Premadasa.
Both opposition and government benches praised Wijetunga, who had been serving as acting president since Premadasa was killed May 1 by a suicide bomber as he was directing May Day crowds in northern Colombo.Government sources said almost all ministers and ministers of state were expected to retain their portfolios when Wijetunga swears in a prime minister and a new Cabinet later Friday.
Industries Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe was expected to become the new prime minister.
Speaker Mohamed Haniffa Mohamed announced at the opening of the day's parliamentary session he had received the nomination of only one candidate to be president. Transport minister Wijepala Mendis formally proposed Wijetunga's name and Justice Minister Shahul Hameed seconded the nomination.
Wijetunga, who gave a brief farewell address to the legislature, became the first member of Parliament to be elected president by the body since Sri Lanka's constitution was enacted in 1982.
A total of 24 people were killed in the bomb blast, including presidential aide M.P. Mohideen and seven police officers, and 58 people were treated afterward for injuries.