New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to Anura Kumara Dissanayake for his victory in the closely-fought Sri Lankan presidential election. Dissanayake, 55, knocked out incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa to become Sri Lanka's 10th president.
Dissanayake polled 5.6 million or 42.3 per cent of the votes, a massive boost to the 3 per cent he managed in the last presidential election in 2019. Premadasa was second at 32.8 per cent after the first round of counting of ballots on Sunday. It was the first time in Sri Lanka's history that the presidential race was decided by a second round of counting after the top two candidates failed to win the mandatory 50 per cenyt of votes to be declared winner.
"Congratulations @anuradisanayake, on your victory in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections. Sri Lanka holds a special place in India's Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision SAGAR. I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our multifaceted cooperation for the benefit of our people and the entire region," said PM Modi on X.
Who is Anura Kumara Dissanayake?
The 55-year-old Marxist-leaning politician is contesting under the National People's Power (NPP) coalition, which includes his Marxist-leaning party People's Liberation Front. His party has traditionally backed stronger state intervention and more closed-market economic policies. Dissanayake's promise of tough anti-corruption measures and pro-poor policies have given a popular boost to his candidacy.
The communist leader is considered an 'outsider' in the race but is campaign has gained prominence through its sweeping reforms, tackling corruption and ensuring economic relief. He has promised a complete overhaul of the system, end family rule and improve governance structures who want to end the Rajapaksa brand of politics. However, his party has only three seats in the Parliament and has never been close to national power.
Dissanayake presented himself as the candidate of change for those reeling under austerity measures linked to a $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund bailout, promising to dissolve parliament within 45 days of taking office for a fresh mandate for his policies in general elections. He worried investors with a manifesto pledging to slash taxes, which could impact IMF fiscal targets, and a $25 billion debt rework.
What now for Dissanayake?
Dissanayake, who does not possess political lineage like some of his rivals in the presidential election, is now tasked to fight corruption and bolster a fragile economic recovery following its worst financial crisis in decades. Dissanayake, 55, presented himself as the candidate of change for those reeling under austerity measures linked to a $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund bailout, promising to dissolve parliament within 45 days of taking office for a fresh mandate for his policies in general elections.
"We believe that we can turn this country around, we can build a stable government... and move forward. For me this is not a position, it is a responsibility," Dissanayake told reporters after his victory which was confirmed after a second tally of votes. He will particularly have to deal with high cost of living, which was a critical issue for many voters as millions remain mired in poverty and many pinned hopes of a better future on the next leader.
He will have to ensure Sri Lanka sticks with the IMF programme until 2027 to get its economy on a stable growth path, reassure markets, repay debt, attract investors and help a quarter of its people out of poverty. "Root cause for the downfall of this country is bad management. We have a strong feeling if we have a good manager to rule this country... we can be successful in future," said Janak Dias, 55, a real estate businessmen.
Sri Lanka's presidential election
This is Sri Lanka's first election since the nation's economy buckled in 2022 under a severe foreign exchange shortage, leaving it unable to pay for imports of essentials including fuel, medicine and cooking gas. Protests forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee and later resign.
The election was also a referendum on Wickremesinghe, who led the heavily indebted nation's fragile economic recovery from a meltdown in 2022 but the austerity measures that were key to this recovery hindered his bid to return to office. Election Commission Chairman R M A L Rathnayake said though Dissanayake and Premadasa have secured maximum votes in the 2024 presidential election, neither of them has secured more than 50 per cent votes, so the second preference votes are being counted and added to these two candidates.
Sri Lanka's presidential election uses a preferential voting system, where voters rank up to three candidates in order of preference. If a candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the first-choice votes, which is an absolute majority, that person is declared the winner. No election in Sri Lanka has ever progressed to the second round of counting, as single candidates have always emerged as clear winners based on first-preference votes.
ALSO READ | Sri Lanka's Marxist-leaning Anura Kumara Dissanayake wins Presidential Elections, to take oath on Sept 23
