Signifying another milestone in the annals of Parliamentary history, UNP Leader and six-time Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected by Parliament as the Eighth Executive President of Sri Lanka on Wednesday. Wickremesinghe received 134 votes in his favour and won the election very comfortably.
SLPP Parliamentarian Dullas Alahapperuma received 82 votes while Leader of the National People’s Power, Anura Kumara Dissanayake received three votes. President Wickremesinghe was sworn-in as the Eighth Executive President before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya at the Parliamentary Complex on Thursday.
The counting of ballots took place in the presence of three MPs who were nominated representatives of the three candidates. MP Harin Fernando observed the counting on behalf of Ranil Wickremesinghe, while MP Dilan Perera observed the vote count on behalf of Dullas Alahapperuma and MP Vijitha Herath observed the counting on behalf of Anura Kumara Dissanayake. A secret Parliamentary vote was held in Parliament on Wednesday in accordance with the provisions of the Presidential Elections (Special Provisions) Act No. 2 of 1981.
Three nominations
Three nominations were submitted for the Parliamentary Election to choose a successor President. The names of Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Member of Parliament Dullas Alahapperuma and Member of Parliament Anura Kumara Dissanayake were proposed for the post.
Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena proposed the name of Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the Presidency in Parliament on Tuesday and it was seconded by MP Manusha Nanayakkara.
Meanwhile, National People’s Power MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake was proposed by MP Vijitha Herath and seconded by MP Harini Amarasuriya. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa proposed the name of SLPP MP Dullas Alahapperuma for the Presidency and it was seconded by Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris. Earlier, Opposition Leader Premadasa announced that he would withdraw from running for Presidency, pledging his and the SJB’s support to MP Alahapperuma.
The ballot to elect the eighth Executive President of Sri Lanka was held in Parliament on Wednesday. Accordingly, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake, prior to the commencement of the process of voting read out all the relevant instructions to the Parliamentarians.
Thereafter the names of the Parliamentarians were announced and they cast their vote. Of the 223 MPs who voted to elect a new President in Parliament, two MPs abstained from voting while four votes were declared invalid, as announced by the General Secretary of the Parliament.
Selvarasa Kajendran and G.G. Ponnambalam representing the Tamil National People’s Alliance did not vote at the election. All parliamentarians behaved in a very dignified manner during the vote and it was noteworthy that the whole Rajapaksa family political group including former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was present in Parliament to cast their vote.
Another notable feature was two Members were given the opportunity to vote ahead of their turn as they were ill. SLPP Parliamentarian Samanpriya Herath was allowed to vote before his turn following the consent of Members of Parliament at the vote to appoint a President. Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake informed the House that MP Herath was sick and needed to return to hospital.
He was seen casting his vote while a Parliament staff member held onto his bottle of saline. He had attended Parliament to vote from hospital and he had returned to hospital after casting his vote. Similarly, SLPP Parliamentarian D. Weerasinghe who was also ill cast his vote ahead of his turn. He was unable to walk independently and was seen being supported by two Parliament staff members.
Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe who was elected as the eighth Executive President of Sri Lanka, requested all Parties to unite to implement a new system as the period of division is now over. President Wickremesinghe extended a special invitation to his rival candidates, Dullas Alahapperuma and Anura Kumara Dissanayake and also Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena and the Tamil political parties.
Following the announcement of the results, the President-elect said that the public does not want old politics and Parliament must unite and work towards specific goals to ensure the country moves forward. Wickremesinghe said he was glad to have Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana announce his victory as they had commenced their political careers together in 1973.
Fourty-three years in parliment
The newly elected President said 43 years of his life has been spent in Parliament. “My life was spent in this Parliament. I thank Parliament for providing me this honour.”
President Wickremesinghe said this was the only instance a vote was held in Parliament to select a Head of State, adding, however, they were able to conduct and elect a President without any incident through discussion. He also conveyed his gratitude to all Parliamentarians who worked towards his victory and for all other MPs who participated and voted at the election. The President said that it is a well-known fact that the country is facing great difficulties, and the country’s youth are demanding a system change.
Contender for Presidential election SLPP Parliamentarian Dullas Alahapperuma told Parliament on Wednesday that decisions should be made by the House not focusing on the 225 families living in the ‘Diyawanna island’ but on the 22 million people living outside it.
He said, “I decided to contest this election not considering the post as an asset or an honour. We wanted to end the political culture which is personal-agenda driven, that has prevailed in this country over 70 years by winning this election. Though we lost because of the lack of numbers, we will consider this as an encouragement to pursue our main objective, which is a consensus political alliance and a government.”
Alahapperuma said, “I extend gratitude to the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa who kept personal goals and party politics aside and supported me in this election. I would also like to thank SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L.Peiris and all other political parties who sided and supported us. Our country is in a critical situation right now. So, we all have a responsibility towards this country and we need to stand together to heal this country. Only a healed country can rejuvenate.”
National People’s Power (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said he believes that certain MPs may have sold their vote.
He said that Sri Lankan political history marks numerous occasions where MPs were ‘bought’ and ‘sold’ for political gains. Dissanayake secured only three votes. However, Government MPs expressed their displeasure when Dissanayake made this comment. Responding to the MPs, Dissanayake said that it is his opinion and he has a right to word his opinion.
Dissanayake said, “I know that you get all fired up when I say this. There is no use saying this outside this House. I wanted to tell this to you directly. This Parliament consists of uncivilised persons. I have no reason to believe that these uncivilised persons acted in a civilised manner during this election. This is my opinion. It should be recorded in history.”
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told the Parliament that the result of the election for a succeeding President does not reflect the true aspiration of the people that are demanding a system change. Premadasa pointed out that all MPs should remember as to why the House was compelled to hold an election for a new President in the first place. Premadasa urged the House to keep in mind that the people of the country ousted a President who received 6.9 million votes and a Government which had a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The Opposition Leader said, “Presidents are elected by the people. We need to reflect as to why we had to choose a President in a different way. The all-powerful President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was ousted by the public. We, the 225 MPs should keep this in mind. We formed this new consensus alliance in response to people’s aspirations.
“This is a House that still operates based on the mandate given to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. It is a question whether the true aspirations of the people are represented by this House anymore. We of course can’t have an anarchical rule or an anarchic country. However, we must keep in mind and work towards making things better for the people who are seriously affected by the present economic crisis.”
New PM
Leader of the House Minister Dinesh Gunawardena took oaths before President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday as the new Prime Minister. Gunawardena embarked on active politics in late 1970s and entered the Parliament in 1983 representing the Maharagama electoral district. He has held Cabinet ministerial portfolios under various governments. Gunawardena has also served as the chairperson of three Parliament Select Committees to identify electoral reforms and as the Leader of the House and the Chief Government Whip in Parliament. Gunawardena has been leading the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna since 1973, following the demise of his father, veteran politician Philip Gunawardena, the founder of the party.
“We lost”
Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa told the media that Dullas Alahapperuma was nominated by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) group backed by him.
Following the election, he told the media, “We nominated Dullas. We voted but we lost. However, someone has to win.” When asked about Ranil Wickremesinghe’s victory he responded, “Ranil Wickremesinghe got more votes and he was elected as the President. That is what happened. We are watching to see what will happen in the future. No matter which Government is elected, they have to work for the people.”
Speaking of the various views expressed regarding what the people desire he said, “There are various opinions. One group says that this is what the people want. We say this is what the people want.”
Rajapaksa said that the protests should now be stopped and the youth should start working for the country. He said, “I now feel that this protesting is enough . The youth engaged in the Galle Face protest must now go out and work.”
A journalist asked former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa if he voted for Ranil Wickremesinghe. He said, “No, not exactly.” In response to a question posed by a journalist on whether he would intervene in forming a new Government, he said, “We have still not taken a decision on it. I am agreeable to any decision taken by the Party.”
No decision
SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said the SLPP has not yet decided to take disciplinary action against the MPs who supported MP Dullas Alahapperuma during the vote to elect a new President on Wednesday. He was responding to a question whether the SLPP was contemplating action against SLPP Chairman Prof G.L. Peiris, MP Dullas Alahapperuma, MP Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, MP Prof. Charitha Herath for supporting MP Alahapperuma. Kariyawasam said holding a disciplinary inquiry against them is a party decision and no such decision has been taken as yet. He said it has to be decided at a Party meeting, and no such meeting has been held since July 22.
“Served to the best of my ability”
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his letter of resignation said he has served his motherland to the best of his ability and will continue to do the same in the future. The letter of resignation was submitted to Parliament on Saturday, July 16 by the Secretary General of Parliament with the permission of the Speaker.
President Rajapaksa in his letter said that the country also had to face the Covid-19 pandemic which affected the entire world even before three months had passed after he assumed office. The President said that he was happy to have protected the people from the pandemic even in the face of the economic crisis in Sri Lanka which was present at that time. “Also, due to having to shut down the country from time to time in 2020 and 2021 to protect the people from the Covid-19 pandemic, our Government had to face an escalation of the economic crisis that had been growing for many years and a shortage of foreign exchange. “It is my personal belief that I took all possible steps to address this crisis, including inviting Parliamentarians to form an all-party or unity government,” the letter stated.
CBK congratulates RW
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga while congratulating the new President Ranil Wickremesinghe on being elected as the eighth Executive President of the country, said that young activists of our country with the full support of vast majority of citizens called for a regime that governs in the people’s interest and not its own where rule of law, honesty and good governance will reign supreme. “I have no doubt President Wickremesinghe will remember that this change was made entirely possible by the extraordinary activism of the young civil activists of our country, with the full support of the vast majority of citizens”, the former President said in a note posted on her face book page.
Mayantha steps down
SJB Parliamentarian Mayantha Dissanayake has stepped down from his post as the President of Samagi Tharuna Balawegaya. Dissanayake has submitted his letter of resignation to SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa and its General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara on Thursday. Dissanayake has not been given an electorate by the SJB even though he represents the Kandy district. Dissanayake has requested to be given a post as organiser of an electorate to establish his political stability within Kandy district.