Colombo, August 6, 2024 – Leader of the National People’s Power (NPP) MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake has officially entered the presidential race by submitting the necessary deposit to the Election Commission this morning. Dissanayake, who is the NPP’s candidate for the upcoming Presidential Election, secured his spot in the race as part of the party’s preparations for the August 15 nomination submission.
MP Vijitha Herath, a spokesperson for the NPP, confirmed the deposit and emphasized the party’s readiness to move forward with their candidate. “The people of the country are ready to hand over the country’s power to Anura, so we laid the foundation for that,” Herath said during a media briefing.
Dissanayake’s move brings the total number of candidates who have placed their deposits to 18. This list includes incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, and Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. Among the candidates, there are 7 independent candidates nominated by voters, 10 from recognized political parties, and one from other political factions.
The upcoming election, scheduled amidst a backdrop of political and economic turbulence, is expected to be a significant event for Sri Lanka’s future. As the candidates finalize their preparations, the public and political analysts alike will be watching closely to see how the race unfolds in the coming weeks.
