Colombo: Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been elected the new President of Sri Lanka. After the second round of counting, the Election Commission declared Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake the winner. Dissanayake contested the presidential election on behalf of the National People's Power (NPP), a broad front of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Party. 56-year-old Dissanayake defeated his nearest rival Sajith Premadasa of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).
Ranil Wickremesinghe eliminated in first round
Outgoing President Ranil Wickremesinghe was eliminated in the first round after failing to be among the top two with the maximum votes. The NPP said Dissanayake would be sworn in as president on Monday.
Dissanayake will be the ninth President of the country
Earlier, the Election Commission had ordered a second round of counting as no candidate secured more than 50 per cent of the votes required to be declared the winner in Saturday's election. Dissanayake will be the country's ninth president. No election in Sri Lanka has ever reached a second round of counting, as a candidate has always emerged victorious on the basis of first preference votes.
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