The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has decided to support acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the Parliamentary vote to elect the country’s next President, the Party’s General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam said.
Wickremesinghe, who was appointed Prime Minister after Mahinda Rajapaksa was forced to step down from the premiership in early May amid growing public agitation, was sworn in as the acting President on Friday, July 15, soon after Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation from the Presidency was officially announced.
Kariyawasam said over 120 MPs have pledged their support to acting President Wickremesinghe. This decision was reached at the Party’s Group Meeting held recently.
Another frontrunner in the race to become the country’s President is SLPP Parliamentarian Dullas Alahapperuma, who previously served as the Minister of Mass Media in the administration of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Alahapperuma announced his intention to contest the Presidency when Parliament calls for nominations next week.
Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) MP Mujibur Rahuman said the party has decided to nominate its leader Sajith Premadasa, who is the present Opposition Leader. Earlier, SJB stalwart Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka also said that some MPs have asked him to stand for the Presidency, but at the time of going to press his next steps were unclear.
At present there is a three-way contest for the Presidency.
As announced by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Friday, Parliament will elect a new President on July 20 and nominations will be called on Tuesday (July 19). Following the voting in the House, a Member of Parliament will be appointed for the Presidency on July 20.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the acting President of Sri Lanka on Friday, July 15 until the appointment of a new President in Parliament next week.