Record 39 candidates confident of being the next President of SL

Flamboyant presidential candidates: Incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Namal Rajapaksa, Dilith Jayaweera, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka and Janaka Ratnayake 

• President Ranil Wickremesinghe stresses there is much to be done and urged people to support his efforts 
• Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa promises to create an era of the people 
• AKD insists only NPP can bring about the change people expect
• SLPP candidate Namal Rajapaksa says he is ready to bring in the social and economic change

The Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) accepted and approved nomination of 39 candidates for the upcoming Presidential election yesterday. 

A historic first, the number of candidates has surpassed the 35 candidates who ran in the 2019 election. 

According to ECSL Chair-person R.M.L. Ratnayake all 39 nomination papers submitted were accepted by the Commission. Earlier 40 candidates had placed deposits. Former MP Sarath Gunaratne was a no show despite placing the cash deposit in the eleventh hour. 

ECSL began accepting nominations at 9.00 a.m. which ran until 11.00 a.m. 

Candidates who handed over nominations yesterday are President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Dr. Wijey-adasa Rajapakshe, Sarath Keerthirathne, Oshala Herath, A.S.P. Liyanage, P.W.S.K. Bandar-anayake. K.K. Piyadasa, Nuwan Bopage, Dilith Jayaweera, Siritunga Jayasuriya, Ajantha de Zoysa, K. Ananda Kularatne, Sarath Manamendra, Akmeemana Dayaratna Thera, Battaramulle Seelaratne Thera and several others. ECSL Chief urged candidates to support them in holding a free and fair election. Ratnayake read out the election propaganda guidelines candidates must adhere to at the event.

Speaking to the media outside the ECSL, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said it was possible to hold elections and for other party supporters accompany their chosen candidates only because he took steps to rebuild the economy.

“We must go forward. There is much to do. A new economic revolution is needed to uplift the lives of the people. I urge the people to support me in these efforts,” he said. Later in the day, the President visited the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu and Asgiriya Chapters to receive their blessings.

Separately greeting his supporters, Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa invited the people to support his efforts to create an era of the people. He said he will save the 22 million citizens of the country from suffering if elected. “A new era where everyone will become prosperous will be created. Fraud and corruption will be eradicated,” he promised. 

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidate Namal Rajapaksa said he is entering the election fray with policies that would ensure the win of the people. “SLPP is ready to bring in the social and economic change to protect Sri Lanka’s sovereignty,” he said. Rajapaksa promised to create jobs and support entrepreneurship. When asked about SLPP MPs supporting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Rajapaksa said the people will respond to them in kind.

Speaking to the media after handing over nominations, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe expressed his displeasure at the behaviour of candidates. “They have ganged up and there is no discipline. The image we present to the world is highly upsetting based on the behaviour of those vying to be the first citizens in the country,” he said. 

He also noted that many dummy candidates have been used in this election as never before to promote one particular candidate. “For one person around 15 to 20 candidates were appearing and they were acting like a gang,” he said. 

Addressing the media, National People’s Power (NPP) candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake said only the NPP can bring about the change people expect. He said people are now displeased of the culture of crossovers. He said only NPP will change the ugly political culture in Sri Lanka.