Sri Lanka’s main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa likely to contest presidential polls

COLOMBO: Sajith Premadas, Sri Lanka's Leader of the Opposition on Wednesday indicated that he is likely to contest the September 21 presidential election when his party submitted the election deposit on his behalf to the election commission.

The nomination of 57-year-old Premadasa of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the main opposition party in the current Parliament, was deposited at the Election Commission Office in Rajagiriya, part of the Sri Lanka's administrative capital of Sri Jayewardenepura on Colombo outskirts.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara has placed a deposit with the Election Commission on behalf of party leader Sajith Premadasa as a candidate for the 2024 Presidential Election, media reports said here.

Premadasa, a Member of Parliament from Colombo, is the son of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 75, has already declared to fight as an independent.

Meanwhile, a group of 116 former Provincial Council members from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the United National Party (UNP) pledged their commitment to support President Wickremesinghe at the upcoming Presidential election, according to the President’s Media Division.

The PMD reported on Tuesday that 92 Members of Parliament met with President Wickremesinghe, pledging their support.

The other candidates who have filed nomination as of July 26 are Sarath Keerthirathne, who will be fighting the polls as an independent too; Oshala Herath of 'Abhinawa Niwahal Peramuna' and ASP Liyanage of Sri Lanka Workers Party, Daily Mirror said.

Another likely candidate is Sri Lanka's Justice Minister Wijeyedasa Rajapakshe, who on Monday declared that he has resigned from his position to contest the presidential election.