Basil Rajapaksa took oaths as the Finance Minister while PM Rajapaksa was sworn-in as minister of economic policies and planning before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat. Jayantha Ketagoda, one of the SLPP’s 17 National List members resigned for Basil Rajapaksa to enter parliament. Having taken oaths as the finance minister, Basil Rajapaksa then took oaths before Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena as a member of parliament. One-time SLFP National Organizer and dual citizen Basil Rajapaksa was away in the US at the time of the 2015 general election. With Basil Rajapaksa’s entry the cabinet has been expanded to 28.

Source: The Nation July 09, 2021 00:00 UTC