INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
tempt lawmakers from opposing sides Tuesday as they sought numbers to swing any parliamentary vote of confidence to end the country's
constitutional crisis.Parliament has been suspended since President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as head of government
last Friday and nominated former strongarm leader Mahinda Rajapaksa for a spectacular return to frontline politics.While Wickremesinghe has
been backed by the United States and other countries in calling for the suspension to be lifted, both sides have been marshalling their
support for a vote that will decide the rivals' fate.Rajapaksa, 72, gave four legislators from Wickremesinghe's party ministerial portfolios
after persuading them to defect on Monday.Wickremesinghe, who has refused to leave the prime minister's residence since he was sacked, has
in turn convinced two lawmakers from Sirisena's camp to join his United National Party.Following the defections, Wickremesinghe has 105 MPs
in the 225-seat chamber while Rajapaksa and Sirisena together have 98.A majority of the 22 remaining MPs are expected to back Wickremesinghe
in any vote but the horse-trading is sure to intensify, observers said.A deputy minister in Wickremesinghe's administration, Ranjan
irresponsible," said an embassy statement to AFP."It is a matter of internal affairs, and China has consistently supported the principle of
non-interference in other country's internal affairs."Despite calls for a parliamentary vote to end the crisis, Sirisena showed no sign of
lifting the suspension which runs until November 16.Wickremesinghe's finance minister Mangala Samaraweera said the president is trying to
buy time to secure votes for Rajapaksa."If he (the president) has the majority there is no need to keep parliament shut
He wants to buy time to do some horse deals," Samaraweera said.Parliament speaker Karu Jayasuriya, who on Monday said there would be a
"bloodbath" unless the assembly votes, stepped up his warnings of unrest in an official letter to the president calling for the suspension
to be lifted."If you do not, we will not be able to stop people taking alternate action to protect their democratic rights," Jayasuriya said
in the letter seen by AFP."In the name of democracy, I urge you to reconsider your decision to prorogue parliament and allow justice to be
served."Jayasuriya said more than 125 legislators had signed a petition seeking the reconvening of the assembly.Tensions have already been
heightened by the killing of one activist in the capital on Sunday.Sirisena appointed a 12-member cabinet late Monday giving the powerful
finance portfolio to Rajapaksa
Aides said the cabinet will be expanded to 30 members on Tuesday.Rajapaksa -- whose rule was marked by grave allegations of rights abuses
and authoritarianism -- said he was given the job because his predecessor's party "engaged in a quest to sell off valuable state assets and
enterprises to foreign companies"."I was aware that at this moment of national peril, the people expected our leadership and protection,"
Rajapaksa said after the cabinet was named
"Hence, I accepted the invitation."
