Thilanga Sumathipala, the former Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) president, is likely to be appointed as the state minister of foreign affairs in the newly formed UPFA government, Cricket Age reliably learns.
The government is yet to make the official announcement.
Sumathipala was the deputy speaker in the previous government, but had been discarded from the post after he voted against then Prime Minister Ranil Wickramsinghe on the no motion confidence. Few months later, he was thrown out of the SLC as well, when Sri Lanka Cricket heavyweight Nishantha Ranatunga dragged him into Court over unethical appointment of election committee.
According to sources within the newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Camp, sumathipala has been given the least powerful post, just for the formality. In his new post, he will have to report deputy Minister and foreign minister.
“Sumathipala was going behind everyone for a post as both his political and cricket administrator career’s have been finished. So, just for the formality, he has been given the state minister post for foreign affairs” a top government source told Cricket Age.
