Colombo: Ranil has been chosen as the new president of Sri Lanka after Gotabaya fled the country. He has been elected as the 9th President by getting 134 votes in the secret ballot held in the Parliament. However, people have started a protest demanding Ranil’s immediate resignation. Due to this, Parliament has been adjourned for a week. As Sri Lanka experienced an unprecedented economic crisis, prices have soared and people have been hit hard. President Gotabaya, who was the cause of this, staged a protest demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse by besieging the President’s and Prime Minister’s residences. As a result, Mahinda Rajapakse, ministers Samal, Basil and Namal Rajapakse resigned one after the other.
But only President Gotabaya refused to resign. As a result, people intensified their protest of ‘Go Gothapaya Go Home’. The opposition parties and the people raised the war flag demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ranil who had acted in support of Gothapaya. On the 9th, people looted the President’s office, Prime Minister’s office and residence. Unable to face this, Gothapaya, who fled the country and took refuge in Singapore, appointed Ranil as the interim president and sent his resignation letter. Subsequently, Ranil took over as interim president. In this case, the election to choose the new president was held yesterday.
Ranil Wickramasinghe, JVP party leader Anurakumara Dissanayake and ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party disaffected leader Dallas Alagaperuma contested. Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, who had expressed his desire to contest the presidential election, withdrew from the race at the last moment. Ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Party, Ranil Wickramasinghe and Sajith Premadasa party MPs said they are going to support Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Party disaffected MP Dallas Alagaperuma. Although there was a three-way competition, there was a fierce competition between Ranil and Tallach Alagaperuma.
As people and students have been protesting against Ranil, a state of emergency has been declared and the election has been held yesterday with heavy police security around the Parliament. For the first time in the history of Sri Lanka, the Speaker also voted in the presidential election in this secret ballot. Votes were counted after polling. Out of total 225 votes, 223 votes were cast. MPs GG Ponnambalam and Selvaraja Gajendra did not vote. 4 votes declared invalid. Thus, only 219 votes were counted.
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