Leader of United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickremesinghe is tipped to be sworn in as the new prime minister of Sri Lanka, political sources told Ada Derana.

The former prime minister met with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last evening (May 11), as speculations are rife about the premiership vacated by former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa amidst the nationwide public furore following an attack on anti-government protesters.

According to sources, the topic of premiership was taken up for discussion at length during the meeting between the Head of State and the UNP leader which lasted nearly two hours at the President’s House in Colombo.

As per sources, an agreement has been reached during the meeting to appoint the UNP leader as the new prime minister.

Reportedly, the majority of parliamentarians have agreed to support MP Wickremesinghe as the frontrunner for the premiership.

Wickremesinghe has served as the prime minister in Sri Lanka the most times in the country’s history, on five occasions, between May 1993 and December 2018.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the group of parliamentarians who became independent in the House recently, have decided to submit three nominations for the prime minister portfolio. They have reportedly proposed MPs Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Dullas Alahapperuma and Nimal Siripala de Silva for the post.