Stunning Reversal: Four UNP MPs Take Oaths As Members Of Sirisena-Rajapaksa Cabinet: MR Gets Finance And Economy

In a stunning reversal, three UNP Parliamentarians who pledged support to their leader Ranil Wickremesinghe accepted ministerial portfolios from President Maithripala Sirisena and his Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

Wijedasa Rajapakshe, Wasantha Senanayake, Suresh Vadivel took oaths in their new positions today while Ananda Aluthgamage, who pledged to Rajapaksa on the day of his new appointment, also received a deputy ministerial portfolio. 

Duminda Dissanayake, the National Organizer of the SLFP, was not among the new ministers who took oaths today. 

The new Cabinet members appointed today are as follows,

Mahinda Rajapaksa: Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs.

Nimal Siripala de Silva: Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation.

Dr. Sarath Amunugama: Minister of Foreign Affairs

Mahinda Samarasinghe: Minister of Ports and Shipping

Mahinda Amaraweera: Minister of Agriculture

Ranjith Siyambalapitiya: Minister of Power and Renewable Energy

Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe: Minister of Education and Higher Education

Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa: Minister of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economic Affairs

Faiszer Musthapha: Minister of Provincial Councils, Local Government, and Sports

Douglas Devananda: Minister of Resettlement, Rehabilitation, Northern Development, & Hindu Religious Affairs

Arumugam Thondaman: Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development.

Vasantha Senanayake: Minister of Tourism and Wildlife

Suresh Vadivel: State Minister of Plantation Industries

Ananda Aluthgamage: Deputy Minister of Tourism and Wildlife.