Mr Premdasa, the leader of Sri Lanka's Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya, tweeted last evening, "Irrespective of who becomes the President of Sri Lanka tomorrow it is my humble and earnest request to Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi, to all the political parties of India and to the people of India to keep helping mother Lanka and its people to come out of this disaster." AD Sri Lanka is in the middle of a massive economic crisis, with its 22 million population facing severe shortages of food and fuel, among other essentials. Months of street protests over the crisis forced former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign last week. Mr Rajapaksa and his family members, many of whom were in his government, have been accused of mismanaging the country's economy, leading to this huge crisis. Analysts say the frontrunner in the three-way contest is Ranil Wickremesinghe, a six-time former prime minister who became acting president after his predecessor resigned, but is despised by the protesters who see him as a Rajapaksa ally. His main opponent in the vote will be SLPP dissident and former education minister Dallas Alahapperuma, a former journalist who is being supported by the opposition. Alahapperuma pledged this week to form "an actual consensual government for the first time in our history". AD 21 Comments Premadasa withdrew from the presidential race in favour of Alahapperuma. He tweeted that "for the greater good of my country that I love and the people I cherish" his party will support Dallas Alahapperuma, a former media minister.
Ahead Of Vote, Sri Lanka's Opposition Leader Makes An Appeal To PM Modi Sajith Premadasa is the leader of Sri Lanka's Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya.
Irrespective of who becomes the President of Sri Lanka tomorrow it is my humble and earnest request to Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi, to all the political parties of India and to the people of India to keep helping mother Lanka and its people to come out of this disaster.
He roundly defeated party rival Dulles Alahapperuma, with 134 votes to 82 in the parliamentary vote on Wednesday. Sri Lanka's ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country last week. He bolted to the Maldives and then Singapore after thousands of protesters stormed his presidential residences and other government buildings, calling for his resignation. They had also called for Mr Wickremesinghe's resignation, who was appointed prime minister in May. Protesters burnt down his private home and also stormed his prime ministerial office in Colombo in demonstrations against his leadership.
Sri Lankan MPs have elected prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country's new president, despite his unpopularity with the public. Mr Wickremesinghe faces the task of leading the country out of its economic collapse and restoring public order after months of mass protests.
However, Mr Wickremesinghe has defied those calls. He automatically assumed the position of acting president after Mr Rajapaksa fled, and his victory on Wednesday means he will carry out the rest of the presidential term until November 2024.
Sri Lanka is effectively bankrupt and facing acute shortages of food, fuel and other basic supplies.
You must be logged in to post a comment.