Namal Rajapaksa, the 38-year-old heir to the Rajapaksa dynasty, has officially entered the Sri Lankan presidential race. On Wednesday, he was named as the Sri Lanka People’s Front (SLPP) candidate for the election, ending the Rajapaksa family’s support for the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The announcement was made by Sagara Kariyawasam, the SLPP general secretary, at a ceremony held at the party headquarters.
Namal’s entry transforms the election into a four-cornered contest. He joins President Wickremesinghe, main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and Marxist JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the race for the presidency.
The Rajapaksas, including Mahinda, Basil, and Gotabaya, were instrumental in Wickremesinghe’s victory in the parliamentary vote in July 2022, which allowed him to take over Gotabaya’s remaining term. This came after Sri Lanka declared its first-ever sovereign default in April 2022, following a period of economic stress and unrest that led to Gotabaya’s ouster. The country was on the brink of civil war-like conditions.
Wednesday’s development comes after the SLPP lost nearly 100 of its MPs to Wickremesinghe following his announcement of an independent candidacy. These MPs have condemned the SLPP’s decision to abandon Wickremesinghe, and the party has vowed disciplinary action against those who defy its decision.
Namal’s nomination was a late decision for the SLPP. Initially, business tycoon Dhammika Perera was favored as the party candidate, but he withdrew on Tuesday, citing personal reasons.
