By IRNA,
New Delhi : Veteran politician and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) stalwart D.M. Jayaratne was sworn-in as Sri Lanka’s 20th Prime Minister.
He was sworn-in before President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a simple ceremony held at Temple Trees Wednesday, All India Radio (AIR) reported.
Meanwhile, with the official announcement of all the results for the general election 2010 declared today, the ruling combine led by Mr. Rajapaksa has bagged 144 seats, six short of two-thirds majority in the 225 member house.
The main opposition, United National Party (UNP) led by the former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe has been able to secure only 60 seats.
The pro LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA) , which had 22 members in the outgoing Parliament , now has 14 seats while the third front Democratic National Alliance (DNA) led by the defeated common consensus opposition candidate in the January 26th Presidential election, retired General Sarath Fonseka could only get seven seats.
One of the first task before the new Parliament, which meets today is to elect the new Speaker. Thereafter, the elected members will be sworn in before the Speaker. Election of the Deputy Speaker and the chairman of the committees will follow.
Indications are that the new cabinet would be named on Friday. It is likely that the new cabinet hold office until the President takes oath for his second term in November this year.