Colombo: Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa has withdrawn his candidacy for the position of Sri Lanka President.
For the greater good of my country that I love and the people I cherish I hereby withdraw my candidacy for the position of President. @sjbsrilanka and our alliance and our opposition partners will work hard towards making @DullasOfficial victorious.
— Sajith Premadasa (@sajithpremadasa) July 19, 2022
Sri Lanka’s leader of opposition, Sajith Premadasa, who was contesting the presidential elections, on Sunday blamed the Rajapaksa government for the worst-ever economic crisis in the island nation of 22 million.
Earlier, Premadasa had termed the scenario of him winning Sri Lanka’s presidential elections an “uphill task”. He had said that he will “contest the elections as he is convinced that the truth will prevail”.
The Sri Lankan parliament on Saturday announced that the nominations for the presidential elections will be held on Tuesday and the new president of Sri Lanka will be elected on July 20.
Finally succumbing to the pressure of the demonstrators, Gotabaya Rajapaksa tendered his resignation letter this week after fleeing overseas to escape an uprising. In his resignation letter, he said he took “all possible steps” to avert the economic crisis that has engulfed Sri Lanka.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa flew to the Maldives and then Singapore after several anti-government protesters came out onto the streets of Colombo last week and stormed his official residence and offices.
