Top government sources told Asian Mirror on Saturday night that State Minister of Civil Aviation Faizer Mustapha has threatened to quit his position in protest of the appointment of SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ajith Dias.

The Minister had threatened to resign on the grounds that he was kept in the dark about the appointment until the last moment. Ajith Dias, a prominent business leader, had been handpicked for this position by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

He said he was unaware of the SriLankan Airlines Chairman's appointment although he was assigned to overlook the aviation sector.

The minister has already informed President Maithripala Sirisena of the matter, Asian Mirror reliably learns.

Mustapha had also said that his authority had been restricted by Arjuna Ranatunga's role in the ministry as the Cabinet Minister, highly placed sources of the government said.

When contacted by Asian Mirror however, Minister Mustapha rubbished the claims saying there was no such move.