SL reinstates ousted PM

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka´s president on Sunday reappointed as prime minister the same man he sacked from the job nearly two months ago, ending a power struggle that paralysed the island nation.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose shock dismissal in late October threw Sri Lanka into an unprecedented constitutional crisis, was sworn in at a closed-door ceremony in the president´s office in Colombo.

The 69-year-old had refused to step aside since being dumped and replaced by controversial strongman Mahinda Rajapakse -- leaving the country with two men claiming the premiership and no functioning government.

The ousted premier had long asserted his dismissal was illegal, a view supported by Sri Lanka´s parliament which six times voted against Rajapakse´s claim to rule during tumultuous sessions that erupted into brawls.

President Maithripala Sirisena had refused to bow to pressure as the country drifted, declaring he would never reappoint Wickremesinghe and deriding his once-ally in public speeches as their alliance imploded.