Four Ex-Presidents Opt Out of Parliamentary Poll

Four Ex-Presidents Opt Out of Parliamentary Election

by Zulfick Farzan 14-10-2024 | 8:12 AM

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.