Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Saturday, 16 November 2024 01:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Cabinet Minister Vijitha Herath representing the National People’s Power (NPP) has set a new benchmark in Sri Lankan politics by securing a historic 716,715 preferential votes in the 2024 Parliamentary Election.
Herath who contested from the Gampaha District, not only claimed the top spot in the district but also shattered the previous record for the highest number of preferential votes received by a single candidate in Parliamentary Election history.
He shattered the record set by fellow NPP member, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarsuriya just hours ahead. Dr. Amarasuriya who contested from the Colombo District had garnered 655,289 preferential votes.
Herath received approximately 79.76% of the total 898,759 votes cast for the NPP in the Gampaha District.
Herath is a seasoned politician and a prominent member of the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). With a political career spanning over two decades, Herath has served as a Member of Parliament representing the Gampaha District since 2000.
Of the 788,636 votes NPP received in the Colombo District, Dr. Amarasuriya’s preference votes amounted to 83% whilst they were half a million more than the main Opposition SJB leader Sajith Premadasa managed to garner 145,611 votes.
A sociologist, academic, and activist, Dr. Amarasuriya has been serving as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka since 2024. She is the third woman to hold this esteemed office, following in the footsteps of Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Chandrika Kumaratunga. Dr. Amarasuriya is also the interim Minister for Justice, Health, Women, Education, Trade, and Industries in Dissanayake’s mini-Cabinet.
The previous record for the highest number of preferential votes before this election was held by former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who garnered 527,364 preferential votes in the 2020 General Election while contesting from the Kurunegala District.
