<p>President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's ruling party, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) on Tuesday lost its majority in Parliament as 42 MPs announced they would sit independently.</p>.<p>Among the 42 MPs, 14 are from Sri Lanka Freedom Party, 10 belong to constituent parties of the government, and 12 are SLPP MPs, among others, reported <em>Xinhua</em> news agency.</p>.<p>The ruling SLPP-led alliance won 146 seats in the 225-member Parliament in the 2020 general election.</p>.<p>Tuesday's development comes amid an ongoing turmoil in the island nation due to the country's worst ever economic crisis, triggering widespread anti-government protests.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/sri-lanka-economic-crisis-live-rajapaksa-emergency-violence-protest-cabinet-economy-colombo-student-injured-social-media-ban-democracy-markets-loan-stocks-1097761.html" target="_blank">Track Live Sri Lanka Updates Here</a></strong></p>.<p>On Monday night, Rajapaksa had said that he will not resign, but was ready to hand over the government to whichever party holds 113 seats in Parliament.</p>.<p>On Monday, he held back-to-back political meetings amidst public protests throughout the nation, calling on the President and government to resign, reports the <em>Daily Mirror</em> newspaper.</p>.<p>Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former Defence Secretary in his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa's government, played a crucial role to end 26-year-long war against Tamil rebel Tigers.</p>.<p>At the 2019 Presidential election, he was elected President with a sweeping 2/3 majority with over 6.9 million votes.</p>.<p>Lack of dollar reserves and depreciation forced economic crisis lead to severe shortages of fuel, LPG, electricity and essential food and people are demanding Rajapaksa to give up power immediately.</p>.<p><em><strong>Check out the latest DH videos here:</strong></em></p>
<p>President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's ruling party, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) on Tuesday lost its majority in Parliament as 42 MPs announced they would sit independently.</p>.<p>Among the 42 MPs, 14 are from Sri Lanka Freedom Party, 10 belong to constituent parties of the government, and 12 are SLPP MPs, among others, reported <em>Xinhua</em> news agency.</p>.<p>The ruling SLPP-led alliance won 146 seats in the 225-member Parliament in the 2020 general election.</p>.<p>Tuesday's development comes amid an ongoing turmoil in the island nation due to the country's worst ever economic crisis, triggering widespread anti-government protests.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/sri-lanka-economic-crisis-live-rajapaksa-emergency-violence-protest-cabinet-economy-colombo-student-injured-social-media-ban-democracy-markets-loan-stocks-1097761.html" target="_blank">Track Live Sri Lanka Updates Here</a></strong></p>.<p>On Monday night, Rajapaksa had said that he will not resign, but was ready to hand over the government to whichever party holds 113 seats in Parliament.</p>.<p>On Monday, he held back-to-back political meetings amidst public protests throughout the nation, calling on the President and government to resign, reports the <em>Daily Mirror</em> newspaper.</p>.<p>Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former Defence Secretary in his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa's government, played a crucial role to end 26-year-long war against Tamil rebel Tigers.</p>.<p>At the 2019 Presidential election, he was elected President with a sweeping 2/3 majority with over 6.9 million votes.</p>.<p>Lack of dollar reserves and depreciation forced economic crisis lead to severe shortages of fuel, LPG, electricity and essential food and people are demanding Rajapaksa to give up power immediately.</p>.<p><em><strong>Check out the latest DH videos here:</strong></em></p>