Sri Lanka NPP/JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka Takes Commanding Lead in Postal Votes
02:28 – 22nd September, 2024
Sri Lanka NPP/JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka Takes Commanding Lead in Postal Votes
With the outcome of the presidential election, Sri Lanka has an opportunity to address its economic challenges and transform its political culture. Let’s stay hopeful and positive for meaningful change!
Sri Lanka’s Marxist leader, NPP/JVP party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka has shown significant support, winning postal votes in most of electoral districts, as the official results reveal. He secured victories including Colombo, Matale, Ratnapura, Galle, Hambantota, Monaragala, Trincomalee, and Polonnaruwa, with substantial margins.
In the Vanni district, known for its ethnic minority Tamil population, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa narrowly led the postal votes. So far, Dissanayaka has garnered 92,949 votes, accounting for nearly 57% of the counted postal votes. Premadasa follows with 32,399 votes (20%), while the current President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has received 30,419 votes (18.6%).
These results signal a desire for change and reform. As Sri Lankans, we have the power to shape a better future together.
FACTBOX – Sri Lanka’s past presidential elections, results
Sri Lanka closed polling for the presidential election at 1600 hours on Saturday (21) amid a tight race among the top three candidates: President Ranil Wickremesinghe, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and Marxists party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka.
Analysts expect the winner to be chosen after second preferential vote counting for the first time in Sri Lankan history because no candidate is expected to secure more than 50 percent.
Here’s a list of all the Sri Lankan Presidential Election results since the establishment of the executive presidency in 1978:
1. 1982 Presidential Election:
Winner: J. R. Jayewardene (United National Party – UNP)
Votes: 3,450,811 (52.91%)
Main Opponent: Hector Kobbekaduwa (Sri Lanka Freedom Party – SLFP)
Votes: 2,548,438 (39.07%)
Voter turnout: 77.6%
This was the first presidential election in Sri Lanka, and Jayewardene was the incumbent prime minister who became the country’s first executive president in 1978.
2. 1988 Presidential Election
Winner: Ranasinghe Premadasa (United National Party – UNP)
Votes: 2,569,199 (50.43%)
Main Opponent: Sirimavo Bandaranaike (Sri Lanka Freedom Party – SLFP)
Votes: 2,289,860 (44.95%)
Voter turnout: 75.5%
Premadasa became the second executive president, and the election was held amid a backdrop of civil war and Marxists-Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led insurrection.
3. 1994 Presidential Election
Winner: Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (People’s Alliance – PA, a coalition led by SLFP)
Votes: 4,709,205 (62.28%)
Main Opponent: Srima Dissanayake (United National Party – UNP)
Votes: 2,715,283 (35.91%)
Voter turnout: 75.1%
Kumaratunga became the first female executive president of Sri Lanka.
4. 1999 Presidential Election
Winner: Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (People’s Alliance – PA)
Votes: 4,312,157 (51.12%)
Main Opponent: Ranil Wickremesinghe (United National Party – UNP)
Votes: 3,602,748 (42.71%)
Voter turnout: 75.5%
Kumaratunga was the first president to be re-elected for a second term through election after surviving an assassination attempt just days before the election.
5. 2005 Presidential Election
Winner: Mahinda Rajapaksa (United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA), a coalition led by SLFP)
Votes: 4,887,152 (50.29%)
Main Opponent: Ranil Wickremesinghe (United National Party – UNP)
Votes: 4,706,366 (48.43%)
Voter turnout: 73.5%
Rajapaksa won his first term in office amid the ongoing civil war and an election boycott by ethnic minority Tamils in the country’s war-hit Northern and Eastern province.
6. 2010 Presidential Election
Winner: Mahinda Rajapaksa (United People’s Freedom Alliance – UPFA, led by SLFP)
Votes: 6,015,934 (57.88%)
Main Opponent: Sarath Fonseka (New Democratic Front – NDF)
Votes: 4,173,185 (40.15%)
Voter turnout: 69.5%
Rajapaksa secured re-election after winning the civil war, defeating his own Army General Fonseka.
7. 2015 Presidential Election
Winner: Maithripala Sirisena (United National Front – UNF, a coalition led by UNP)
Votes: 6,217,162 (51.28%)
Main Opponent: Mahinda Rajapaksa (United People’s Freedom Alliance – UPFA)
Votes: 5,768,090 (47.58%)
Voter turnout: 81.5%
Sirisena, a former ally of Rajapaksa, ran on a reformist platform and defeated his own leader Rajapaksa after accusing rampant corruption.
8. 2019 Presidential Election
Winner: Gotabaya Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna – SLPP)
Votes: 6,924,255 (52.25%)
Main Opponent: Sajith Premadasa (New Democratic Front – NDF)
Votes: 5,564,239 (41.99%)
Voter turnout: 83.7%
Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former defense secretary and brother of Mahinda Rajapaksa, won the presidency on a national security and economic development platform. (Colombo/September 21/2024)
