Anura Kumara Dissanayake Leads with 56% in Sri Lanka Presidential Election

Sep 22, 2024, 04:32 AM

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of Sri Lanka's Marxist JVP’s broader front National People’s Power (NPP), is leading in the early stages of the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has gained popularity with his leftist policies aimed at helping the poor, currently holds 56% of postal votes from 7 electoral districts. His two main opponents each have 19% of the votes. Analysts predict that Dissanayake could secure over 50% of the total vote, potentially making him Sri Lanka's first Marxist head of state. On Sunday, he consolidated his lead.