Sri Lanka president Sirisena accuses foreign forces of intimidating him

Sri Lanka's current political crisis is a result of a clash between external and local values, defiant President Maithripala Sirisena has said as he accused "foreign forces" of intimidating him.

Sirisena has described the ongoing political crisis in the country as one between foreign and local values.

"This is an issue between those who believe in foreign thinking and those who respect local values", Sirisena said Sunday, addressing a gathering in his home base Polonnaruwa.

Since firing Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sirisena has highlighted the personal "shortcomings" of the former PM in a bid to justify the sacking and dissuade the reinstatement of the Wickremesinghe.

However, Wickremesinghe holds on to the official residence of the prime minister, claiming his sacking was unconstitutional.

Sirisena later dissolved parliament to call snap elections. Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was appointed by Sirisena to replace Wickremesinghe, has failed to prove his parliamentary majority.