COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's former strongman and current Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has left his longtime political party and joined another in a move that could weaken the country's president.
Rajapaksa on Sunday joined the Sri Lanka People's Front, a party of which he was shadow leader for months.
His move could weaken President Maithripala Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party, of which Rajapaksa had been a longtime member. A large number of SLFP members are likely to join Rajapaksa because he has the biggest following among them.
Sirisena last month sacked his prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and replaced him with Rajapaksa, hoping to cash in on Rajapaksa's popular support.
Sirisena and Wickremesinghe, who were leading traditionally opposed parties, were part of an awkward coalition government until Wickremesinghe's sacking on Oct. 26.
