Last Updated: July 17, 2022, 09:46 IST
Bangalore, India
Since the Sri Lankan people are vehemently opposing Wickremesinghe’s nomination to the highest post, many more MPs are likely to back out on the day of voting. (PTI Photo)
LoP Sajith Premadasa and former Cabinet minister Dullas Alahapperuma combine could pose a huge danger to Ranil Wickremesinghe’s bid for Presidency. According to insiders, Wickremesinghe is trying to strike a deal with Premadasa promising him the post of executive PM
The most feared and hated man in Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled under the cover of darkness on July 13. The ‘Aragalaya’ or ‘Aragalists’ (meaning ‘struggle’ in Sinhalese), who had led nationwide protests demanding his resignation, have achieved the impossible. But their fight is not yet over. They want an “honest” man, with a vision, to be the next President, opposing acting President and incumbent Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s bid for the top post.
Speaker of Sri Lankan Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has fixed July 20 as the day for the Presidential election where all 225 members of the House are eligible to vote and participate.
There are at least half a dozen claimants for the post of President. Ranil Wickremesinghe is leading the race with the support of majority Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party of the Rajapaksa family. His main contender is the leader of the opposition and his one-time deputy, Sajith Premadasa, of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). On paper, Wickremesinghe’s win looks easy but in reality, it speaks of a different situation.
The SLPP has 145 members in Parliament and the President should get a minimum of 113 votes to get elected. The winning President will be in office for the remainder of Gotabaya’s term (around 28 months). Gotabaya had a five-year term till November 2024.
But more than 40 SLPP MPs have already declared that they are no longer a part of the majority party and they can act independently. Since the Sri Lankan people are vehemently opposing Wickremesinghe’s nomination to the highest post, many more MPs are likely to back out on the day of voting.
Describing the protestors as “fascists”, Wickremesinghe has warned them not to obstruct the elections, which has angered them further.
Meanwhile, Sajith Premadasa has nearly 55 MPs of his own party supporting him. With the help of mino
