Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe is poised to join the presidential election later this year under a different symbol, said his top aide.
Wickremesinghe, aged 75, is expected to represent multiple parties as a national candidate, senior presidential advisor and UNP senior leader Ashu Marasinghe told reporters on Tuesday.
The veteran politician has helmed the United National Party (UNP) since 1994 and has held the position of prime minister on five occasions, leading six governments.
In May 2022, Wickremesinghe replaced Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister following anti-government protests over the unprecedented economic crisis in the island nation. Two months later, he replaced Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the president to serve the balance term until the end of 2024.
“People such as minister Prasanna Ranatunga have said many, including himself, have an issue supporting Wickremesinghe if he contests the Presidential election under the elephant symbol. Likewise, we in the UNP too have an issue with him contesting under the pohotuwa. Therefore, Wickremesinghe is expected to contest under a new symbol,” Marasinghe was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror newspaper.
He said more than 80 per cent of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will support Wickremesinghe in the next election scheduled to take place later this year.
“We welcome the proposal made by SJB MP Talatha Athukorala that both the SJB and the UNP should unite. We expect others in the SJB to support Wickremesinghe even if SJB leader Sajith Premadasa decides against such a move,” he said.
He said that it is not possible to hold both the Presidential election and the general election on the same day according to the Constitution.
Further, he said that cash-strapped Sri Lanka’s economy has begun to recover with foreign reserves growing up to USD 5 billion, while the tourism sector has experienced an unexpected gain during this year.
(PTI)
Dharavi slum in Mumbai
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)