City
Epaper

Sirisena to continue in active politics after term ends

By IANS | Updated: October 29, 2019 12:30 IST

Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena has said that he would continue in active politics after his term in office was slated to end with the election of his successor following the November 16 election.

Open in App

"I prefer active politics to a life of retirement," the Daily Financial Times quoted the President as saying on Twitter on Monday evening.

Sirisena's term will end in January 2020.

This was the clearest indication that Sirisena has planned to enter Parliament through the National List at the end of his term as has been speculated for days.

Meanwhile, an agreement between the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna's (SLPP), headed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the Sirisena-led Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), to form an alliance called the Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Sandanaya will be signed on Thursday.

Sirisena and Rajapaksa will be named co-leaders of the party.

A record 35 candidates have filed their nominations for the island nation's eighth presidential election.

Of the 35 hopefuls, SLPP's Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the ruling United National Party's (UNP) Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa, who is contesting as the National Democratic Front (NDF) contender, have emerged as the two favourites.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who served as the Defence Minister in his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa's administration, oversaw the end of Sri Lanka's brutal 25-year civil war in 2009.

Premadasa is the son of late President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who ruled the country with an iron fist before he was assassinated by a Tamil suicide bomber on May 1, 1993.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: sirisenaMahinda RajapaksaSri LankaGotabaya RajapaksaRanasinghe Premadasa
Open in App

Related Stories

NationalNIA Arrests Key Suspect in Sri Lankan Human Trafficking Racket in Chennai

InternationalSri Lanka Train Tragedy: Six Elephants Killed in Habarana Collision, Two Injured

CricketDimuth Karunaratne Retirement: Veteran Sri Lankan Opener To Bid International Cricket Good-Bye After Playing His 100th Test

CricketNathan Smith Takes Full Stretched Diving Catch at Boundary Line During New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI (Watch Video)

Social ViralViral Video: Woman Collides with Tree, Falls from Moving Train While Filming Reel | WATCH

International Realted Stories

InternationalHigh-level Indian delegation visits Cairo to boost India-Egypt defence ties

InternationalJaishankar thanks Kuwait for solidarity, support after Pahalgam Terror Attack

InternationalPakistan: Young doctors in Punjab shut operation theatres of govt hospitals

InternationalDubai Public Prosecution launches initiative to promote amicable dispute settlement

InternationalIndian Ambassador reviews Haj preparations as pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia