Prime Minister Ranil Wikremesinghe decided to keep the Law and Order Ministry with him as President Maithripala Sirisena seemed reluctant to hand over the ministry to the war-winning Army commander Field Marshal Sarah Fonseka, informed political sources told Asian Mirror.

They said the proposal to give the ministry to Fonseka initially came from President Sirisena. As Minister Sagala Ratanayaka, who held the ministry previously, said he no longer wished to function as the Law and Order Minister, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe too had agreed with the President's suggestion. 

Therefore, both parties agreed to hand over the ministry to Field Marshal Fonseka at the Cabinet reshuffle. 

President Sirisena, however, had changed his mind at the last moment as some of his close associates had raised concerns over the move. Several top police officers too, Asian Mirror learns, had threatened to quit the Department if the government appointed Fonseka as the Law and Order Minister. 

Therefore, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had no option but to place the ministry under him. 

It was also revealed that the Prime Minister had asked Health Minister Rajitha Minister if he preferred to give up his current ministry and become the Minister of Law and Order. Senaratne had immediately turned down the proposal. 

Meanwhile, some UNP sources said the Prime Minister might not hold the Law and Order Ministry for a long time. "It can be a stop-gap measure. Maybe a new minister will be appointed in two weeks during the second phase of the reshuffle," a UNP Minister said.