Former General Secretary of the United National Party Tissa Attanayake has been sworn in as the Minister of Health after crossing over to the government to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Attanayake crossed over to the government on Monday (8).

He replaces the former Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, who defected to the opposition to become the common candidate of the opposition for the next presidential election. Following the defection of Sirisena, the post of the Minister of Health has been vacant while Deputy Minister Lalith Dissanayake was the Acting Minister of Health.

Incidentally, Sirisena was also the General Secretary of his party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. He claims to be the General Secretary even now, but his claim is challenged by the party leadership.

Both Attanayake and Sirisena were elected to the parliament from their respective Districts in 1989 and have been Memmbers of Parliament since then. Attanayake was known as a staunch supporter of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe until recent months. Speculation was rife as to what his role was during several crises within the party during the last few months.

Courtesy:The Nation