Ex-Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa likely to return on Saturday: Reports

Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa who fled the country following an uprising against his government over the islandnations worstever economic crisis may return to the country from Thailand on Saturday according to media reports on ThursdayRajapaksa 73 fled the country on July 13 after monthslong mass public demonstrations demanding his immediate resignation on July 9 gained momentum after protesters stormed the Presidents House in Colombo and several other state buildings in the capitalRajapaksa will return back to the country on Saturday a source close to him was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror news portalHaving gone to the Maldives on a Sri Lanka Airforce plane the former president proceeded to Singapore from where he sent in his resignation on July 13Later he flew to Thailand seeking temporary shelter Thailands foreign minister Don Pramudwinai has said that Rajapaksa can stay in the country for 90 days because he is still a diplomatic passport holderAlso Read PM Modi launches various projects of Railways Kochi MetroHowever Rajapaksa will not be allowed to engage in political activities in Thailand He is also reportedly confined to a hotel and surrounded by security personnelAfter Rajapaksa was ousted Sri Lankas parliament elected thenActing President and sixtime former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new Head of StateHe had the backing of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna SLPP the largest bloc in the 225member parliamentMedia reports say President Wickremesinghe has made arrangements for his return after the SLPP led by the Rajapaksas made a request to himOn August 19 the SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said that the request was made at a meeting held with President WickremesingheKariyawasam had said that they asked the president to facilitate his Rajapaksas return and ensure security and necessary facilitiesSri Lanka is going through its worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948 which was triggered by a severe paucity of foreign exchange reservesThe IMF on Thursday announced that it will provide Sri Lanka with a loan of about USD 29 billion over four years under a preliminary agreement to help the bankrupt island nation tide over its worst economic crisis and protect the livelihoods of the peopleThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever