The Daily Mirror reported on Tuesday that Rajapaksa – amid public protests throughout the nation calling on the President and the government to resign – held political meetings and told political parties on Monday that he will not step down from the Presidency.

But he said he will hand over the government to whoever holds 113 seats in Parliament.

Parliament in Sri Lanka is scheduled to convene amid the unending public protests over what the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. With many MPs from parties aligned with Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)-led coalition deciding to call themselves as independent, the government has lost its two-third majority in Parliament.

Rajapaksa's cabinet has already resigned.

The President has called on opposition parties to help him form a national government and accept cabinet portfolios.

But the opposition has rejected the offer and instead told the President to resign.

(With UNI inputs)