Colombo: In a bid to head off deepening political crisis with Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today (Nov 10) told his Cabinet colleagues to prepare to face a snap election.

The Premier made it clear that the crisis would have to be resolved eventually before the people at a vote, as they could not continue with the slender majority they now have, Government sources said.

Government spokesman G L Peiris, who is also the Constitutional Affairs Minister said the Government would welcome a snap election, as it was confident it could increase its present two-seat majority in Parliament.

"Given everything that has happened in the past four days, we have absolutely no doubt that the people will endorse what we have been doing and we have no problems going before the people," he said.

"In fact we welcome it. The Government has no reason to worry," Peiris said, adding that the country's peace process had been placed in jeopardy by Kumaratunga taking over the vital defence ministry, even as the cohabitation Government of Wickremesinghe was talking with Tamil Tiger rebels.

The Minister said the peace talks between the Tigers and the Government would have to be placed on hold until after they resolved the power struggle between the President and the Parliament.

PTI