Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Colombo: Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been elected the new President of Sri Lanka. After the second round of counting, the Election Commission declared Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake the winner. Dissanayake contested the presidential election on behalf of the National People’s Power (NPP), a broad front of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Party. 56-year-old Dissanayake defeated his nearest rival Sajith Premadasa of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).
Ranil Wickremesinghe eliminated in first round
Outgoing President Ranil Wickremesinghe was eliminated in the first round after failing to be among the top two with the maximum votes. The NPP said Dissanayake would be sworn in as president on Monday.
Dissanayake will be the ninth President of the country
Earlier, the Election Commission had ordered a second round of counting as no candidate secured more than 50 per cent of the votes required to be declared the winner in Saturday’s election. Dissanayake will be the country’s ninth president. No election in Sri Lanka has ever reached a second round of counting, as a candidate has always emerged victorious on the basis of first preference votes.
After winning the presidential election, Dissanayake wrote on social media X, ‘The dream we have had for centuries is finally coming true. This achievement is not the result of the work of a single person, but the result of the collective effort of millions of people like you. Your commitment has brought us here and for that I am very grateful to you. This victory belongs to all of us. Our journey to reach here has been paved by the sacrifices of many people who gave their sweat, tears and even their lives for this cause. Their sacrifice cannot be forgotten. We hold the scepter of their hopes and struggles, knowing how much responsibility it carries. Millions of eyes full of hope and expectation drive us forward and together we are ready to rewrite the history of Sri Lanka. This dream can only be realized with a new beginning. The unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and all Sri Lankans is the basis of this new beginning. The new renaissance we are looking for will only emerge from this shared strength and vision.’
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