Presidential aspirant Wijeyadasa resigns

Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe yesterday announced his resignation to pursue his candidacy at the 21 September Presidential Election. 

Addressing a special media briefing yesterday, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe announced his decision to step down from his ministerial portfolios to contest the upcoming Presidential Election.

Rajapakshe said he had already informed the relevant authorities of his decision. 

“I am not running for the Presidential Election under the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) ticket but from another alliance. As of now, no one in the Cabinet who is associated with the SLPP has declared their candidacy. Therefore, both the President and I will be contesting from different political parties. After discussing this with the President, I decided to step down from my ministerial position to run in the upcoming Presidential Election,” he said.  Last week, Rajapakshe officially declared his candidacy for the 2024 Presidential Election. He said he decided to come forward as a candidate for the victory of Sri Lanka and its people. It is believed he is seeking candidacy under the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) ticket.

Meanwhile, the Colombo District Court further extended the interim order preventing Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe from functioning as Chairman of the SLFP and Sarathi Dushmantha from serving as its General Secretary yesterday.

The interim order was extended until 24 September when the complaint filed by SLFP members Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna, and Duminda Dissanayake was taken up before the Court yesterday.