ANURA KUMARA DISSANAYAKE: NEW SRI LANKAN PRESIDENT

Marxist leader Dissanayake will be the 9th Executive President of Sri Lanka, beating Sajith Premadasa after the country's first ever Presidential Election run-off

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Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, the 55-year-old leader of the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peremuna party, has been declared the winner of the election, according to the Election Commission of Sri Lanka.

He will be the 9th Executive President of Sri Lanka, beating Sajith Premadasa after the country's first ever Presidential Election runoff, reported Daily Mirror.

The election commission made the announcement after a second vote count, the first in the country's history. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe came third and eliminated after the first round, reported AI Jazeera.

Saturday's election marked the third time that Ranil Wickremesinghe unsuccessfully ran for president. His previous two bids for the top job were in 1999 and 2005.

The president-elect in a post on X called for the unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and all Sri Lankans for a new beginning.

"The dream we have nurtured for centuries is finally coming true. This achievement is not the result of any single person's work, but the collective effort of hundreds of thousands of you. Your commitment has brought | us this far, and for that, I am deeply grateful. This victory belongs to all of us. Our journey here has been paved by the sacrifices of so many who gave their sweat, tears, and even their lives for this cause. Their sacrifices are not forgotten. We hold the scepter of their hopes and struggles, knowing the responsibility it carries. The millions of eyes filled with hope and expectation push us forward, and together, we stand ready to rewrite Sri Lankan history. This dream can only be realized with a fresh start. The unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and all Sri Lankans is the bedrock of this new beginning. The New Renaissance we seek will rise from this shared strength and vision. Let us join hands and shape this future together!" said Dissanayaka.