China allegedly abets horse trading amid political crisis in Sri Lanka

China allegedly has thrown its lot in encouraging horse trading in favour of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Sri Lanka's rival prime ministers battled to seek numbers to swing any parliamentary vote of confidence next week to end the country's constitutional crisis.

Parliament has been suspended since President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as head of government on Oct 26 and nominated former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the post of PM.


While Wickremesinghe has called for the suspension to be lifted, both sides have been garnering their support for a vote.

Rajapaksa, 72, extended four MPs from Wickremesinghe's party ministerial portfolios after persuading them to defect.

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.

A deputy minister in Wickremesinghe's administration, Ranjan Ramanayake, accused China of paying for Rajapaksa to buy legislators.

"I am telling China not to spend their millions to buy MPs in SriLanka. They want to buy the country wholesale," he said.

Rajapaksa led a pro-China policy during his 10 years as president up to 2015. But the claim was denied by the Chinese embassy in Colombo.

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.

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.

"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.