Speculation is rife that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is planning his retirement from politics and grooming his son, Namal Rajapaksa, to take up the position.

These speculations are fuelled by Namal Rajapaksa's recent appointment as the State Minister of IT and Digital Infrastructure, in addition to his current Cabinet portfolio.

It is also reported that Rajapaksa will soon be given a senior position in the SLPP bringing him a step cloer to the premiership, informed political sources said.

Earlier, it was rumoured that Basil Rajapaksa would be made Mahinda Rajapaksa's successor uppon the latter's retirement from politics. However, Basil Rajapaksa's conduct has come under heavy fire from constituent parties of the SLPP-led alliance indicating that his appointment as the Prime Minister will lead to a split within the ruling party.

It is in this context that Namal Rajapaksa is now seen as a front-runner for the primiership upon his father's retirement.

However, it is still not clear whether the Prime Minister Rajapaksa will retire from politics this year. Sources close to him added that the Prime Minister had already decided to not contest the upcoming parliamentary election.