PM Modi congratulates Anura Dissanayake on winning Sri Lanka’s presidential election

It was Sri Lanka’s first election since mass protests in 2022 which led to the ouster of ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake Sri Lanka President PM Modi

Leader and the presidential candidate of National People's Power Anura Kumara Dissanayake waves to supporters during a public rally in Dehiowita, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo)

After Sri Lanka’s left-leaning leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, won the presidential election on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him and said “Sri Lanka holds a special place in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy”.

Dissanayake, leader of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna party’s broader front National People’s Power (NPP), defeated his opponent Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya after the conclusion of the second round of voting. According to Dissanayake’s party NPP, he is poised to take the oath on Sunday.

Congratulations @anuradisanayake, on your victory in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections. Sri Lanka holds a special place in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision SAGAR. I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our multifaceted cooperation for…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2024

PM Modi, who is in the US to attend the Quad Summit, posted his message on X stating, “Congratulations Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on your victory in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections. Sri Lanka holds a special place in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision SAGAR.”

Mentioning India-Sri Lanka’s multifaceted cooperation in several areas, PM Modi said, “I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our multifaceted cooperation for the benefit of our people and the entire region.”

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During the first round of counting of votes in Sri Lanka, the country’s incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe was eliminated.

The dream we have nurtured for centuries is finally coming true. This achievement is not the result of any single person’s work, but the collective effort of hundreds of thousands of you. Your commitment has brought us this far, and for that, I am deeply grateful. This victory… pic.twitter.com/N7fBN1YbQA

— Anura Kumara Dissanayake (@anuradisanayake) September 22, 2024

The newly-elected President accepted the mandate and posted a message for Sri Lankans on X, stating, “This dream can only be realized with a fresh start. The unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and all Sri Lankans is the bedrock of this new beginning. The New Renaissance we seek will rise from this shared strength and vision.”

Also Read | Who is Anura Dissanayake, the firebrand Marxist poised to be Sri Lanka’s new President?

As per news agency Associated Press, after the second round of counting for the presidential election, NPP’s Dissanayake received 42% of the votes to be elected as the 9th president of Sri Lanka while his closest competitor Sajith Premadasa could secure 32%.

It was Sri Lanka’s first election since mass protests in 2022 which led to the ouster of ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

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