Who is Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the frontrunner in Sri Lanka’s presidential race?

The 2024 statesmanlike election, held connected September 21, marks a pivotal infinitesimal for Sri Lanka arsenic it seeks to navigate the aftermath of wide protests and a terrible economical downturn that began successful 2022. The elections wherever astir 17 cardinal voters are eligible to ballot are the archetypal since the nationwide protests — commonly known arsenic Aragalaya (The Struggle) — which led to the resignation of erstwhile President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Following his departure, Ranil Wickremesinghe assumed the presidency done parliamentary appointment.

Now, Wickremesinghe is moving for re-election, facing challenges from Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa, the Leader of the Opposition.

Dissanayake who leads National People’s Power (NPP) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)  has positioned itself arsenic a dependable for change, appealing to voters disillusioned by accepted governmental structures. His enactment emerged from the JVP, a Marxist-oriented radical that has historically focused connected societal justness and anti-corruption. The NPP proposes to interruption distant from what galore comprehend arsenic “a rhythm of corruption and mismanagement” that has plagued Sri Lankan authorities for decades and attracting enactment from those who question “system change”.

“Hundreds of thousands of radical person gathered with america due to the fact that they anticipation for a amended future. The archetypal measurement of that travel volition statesman connected 22 September,” helium told a gathering successful Galle connected Sept 19.

Election posters showing portraits of National People’s Power’s statesmanlike campaigner Anura Dissanayake, are pasted connected the room walls of an eatery wherever a navigator prepares nutrient for customers successful Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Dissanayake aboriginal life

Born into a working-class household successful Thambuttegama astir 100 kms distant from the superior Colombo, Dissanayake was the archetypal pupil from his colony to be university.

Speaking with Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka , the JVP person said that helium initially enrolled astatine the University of Peradeniya but transferred to the University of Kelaniya owed to threats helium faced for his governmental ideologies. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science grade successful 1995 and became actively progressive successful pupil politics, joining the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) successful 1987, which laid the instauration for his aboriginal governmental career.

“Looking back, I was ne'er funny successful getting a occupation and settling down. Politics was my passion. To beryllium honest, I’ve ever wanted to alteration and amended our society”, helium told Daily Mirror.

JVP ascension

The subordinate of parliament from the Colombo territory has gained traction by emphasising a request for “drastic change” successful governance but his governmental ascent began successful earnest erstwhile helium was elected to parliament successful 2000. By 1998, helium had joined the JVP’s decision-making body, the politburo.

When the JVP formed an confederation with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) for the 2004 parliamentary elections, helium played a pivotal relation arsenic helium served arsenic Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation. However, pursuing disagreements wrong the coalition, Dissanayake resigned from his ministerial presumption successful 2005.

In 2014, helium became the person of the JVP, succeeding Somawansa Amarasinghe. Under his leadership, Dissanayake sought to reshape the party’s image, distancing it from its convulsive past associated with 2 failed JVP insurrection successful 1971 and 1987. He publically acknowledged these humanities actions and expressed remorse for the party’s relation during those tumultuous times.

“The 1988 / 89 play was a tremendous daze to us, and we can’t ideate however this happened. We admit that that respective atrocities took place, things which should ne'er person happened, happened. We admit that.”, helium said successful an interrogation with Daily Mirror.

He further said, “It is present 25 years since this disastrous period, we person learnt respective bitter lessons from it and we pledge that specified incidents volition ne'er instrumentality spot astatine the hands of the JVP.”

Leader and the statesmanlike campaigner of National People’s Power Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrives astatine a polling presumption to formed his ballot successful Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

The Presidential race

Dissanayake archetypal ran for president successful 2019 but garnered lone astir 3 per cent of the vote. Following Sri Lanka’s economical illness successful 2022, the JVP centered their run astir the voters discontent , positioning itself arsenic a dependable for systemic change. Dissanayake became known for his beardown anti-corruption stance and calls for accountability from erstwhile administrations.

In his run speeches, helium has highlighted the value of accountability among politicians, asserting that erstwhile leaders person failed to code the basal causes of the economical crisis. NPP’s manifesto highlights the request for important reforms successful Sri Lanka’s acquisition system, nationalist wellness services, and addresses lodging shortages.