Asian Mirror reliably learns that former Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake has decided to remain in the government after much contemplation – mainly due to his old age.

Wickremamnayake, who held the post of Prime Minister during the tenure of former President Chandrika Bndaranaike Kumaratunga, is to retire from politics with the dissolution of the present Parliament. If a new President comes to power after the presidential election January, the Parliament will be dissolved in three months,  after the 100 day programme.

Wickremanayake, Asian Mirror learns, has already contacted Rajitha Senaratne and informed him that he would not be able to switch sides at this point due to his old age. In fact, Senaratne, while addressing a press conference in Colombo yesterday, alluded to Wickremanayake’s statement saying one Senior Minister, who initially wanted to join the opposition, decided to remain in the government due to old age.

“However,” Senaratne said, “the Senior Minister’s support and loyalty lie with us.”

Over the past four years, Wickremanayake has been a critique of some policies of the government, saying the government is not travelling down the ‘right track”. He has made his position clear on bribery and corruption, nepotism, cost of living and other similar socio-economic issues in public forums. His son, Parliamentarian Vidura Wickremanayake too has spoken along the same lines on several occasions.

The former Prime Minister - who was first elected to Parliament in March, 1960 – was appointed as a Senior Minister in 2010 when D.M. Jayaratne was appointed as the Prime Minister. Wickremanayake first served as Prime Minister from August 2000 to December 2001. He succeeded Sirimavo Bandaranaike after she resigned from the position at the age of 84. The 81 year old politician is also a senior vice-president of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party