COLOMBO (News 1st); Several prominent figures who previously contested or were appointed through the national list have decided not to run in the upcoming parliamentary election.
Some who contested the polls last time, have decided to enter parliament via the national list in 2024.
Among those opting out are four former Presidents: Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Except for Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the other three have been active in politics for nearly five decades.
Notably, many influential members who represented the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) in the dissolved parliament will not be contesting or included in the national list this time.
These include:
Chamal Rajapaksa
Dr. Nalaka Godahewa
Dr. Bandula Gunawardana
Kanaka Herath
Sisira Jayakody
Geetha Kumarasinghe
Vasudeva Nanayakkara
Anupa Pasqual
Keheliya Rambukwella
Shehan Semasinghe
John Seneviratne
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe
Lohan Ratwatte
Jayantha Samaraweera
Janaka Bandara Tennakoon
Wimal Weerawansa
Sahan Pradeep Withana
D. B. Herath
Seetha Arambepola
Gunapala Rathnasekara
Wimalaweera Dissanayake
Prasanna Ranatunga
S. B. Dissanayake
Akila Ellawala
Siripala Gamlath
Gevindu Cumaratunga
Sudarshana Denipitiya
Sampath Athukorala
Vijitha Berugoda
Shan Wijeyalal De Silva
Nalaka Bandara
Kottegoda
Sudath Manjula
Mohomad Muzammil
Gayashan Nawananda
Major Pradeep Undugoda
Jagath Pushpakumara
S. Viyalanderan
Additionally, Gamini Lokuge, who has contested and won elections for many years, is included in the SLPP national list.
Gamini Waleboda, who was elected to parliament from the SLPP last time, is now on the national list of the Sarva Jana Balaya.
Six members who contested and were elected from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in the last parliamentary election will not be contesting or included in the national list this time.
They are:
- Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka
- Patali Champika Ranawaka
- Mayantha Dissanayake
- A.H.M. Fowzie
- Lakshman Kiriella
- Niroshan Perera
Furthermore, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero, who has represented multiple parties since 2004, will not be contesting this time.
He was last elected to parliament from the national list of the Ape Janabala Party.
Wajira Abeywardena, who filled the United National Party (UNP) national list vacancy after Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected President by parliament, will also not be contesting or included in the national list.
Charles Nirmalanathan and S. Nogarathalingam, who represented the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) in the last parliamentary election, will not be contesting this time.
Ahmad Naseer and H.M.M. Harees, who represented the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) in parliament, have also decided not to contest.
C.V. Wigneswaran, who represented the Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) in parliament, will not be contesting or included in any party's national list this time.