Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday suspended parliament until Nov. 16, a day after removing Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister and replacing him with former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa in a surprise move that signals escalating political tensions in the South Asian nation.

¡°The president has prorogued the parliament,¡± Cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters.

Minutes earlier Wickremesinghe, who said he remains prime minister, urged the speaker to convene parliament to prove he retains his parliamentary majority.