Namal Rajapaksa Casts Vote, Urges Sri Lankans to Participate in Pivotal 2024 Presidential Election

Namal Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, cast his vote in the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election and urged citizens to do the same. Amid a fierce contest with Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa, Sri Lankans vote for their 10th president, the first election since the 2022 economic crisis.

Namal Rajapaksa, the presidential candidate and son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, cast his vote in the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election on Saturday. Encouraging citizens to participate, he emphasized that every vote is crucial for the future of Sri Lanka. Namal Rajapaksa, representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party, stands as a key candidate alongside incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa.

In a social media post, Rajapaksa wrote, "We just cast our votes! Your turn now--get out there and make your voice heard. Every vote matters for the future of Sri Lanka! #GoVote." Sri Lankans head to the polls this Saturday to elect the country's 10th president, marking the first presidential election since the 2022 economic crisis, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The crisis led to significant food and fuel shortages and forced former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country in July 2022. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who assumed office post-Rajapaksa, is seeking re-election. He faces competition from Namal Rajapaksa of SLPP, Anura Kumara Dissanayake from Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), and Sajith Premadasa of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), according to Al Jazeera.

Voting will happen at 13,134 polling stations nationwide, starting at 7 AM local time (01:30 GMT) and ending at 4 PM (10:30 GMT). Thirty-eight candidates are vying for the top executive post. Initially, there were 39 candidates, but independent candidate Idroos Mohamed Ilyas passed away in August.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, a six-time prime minister, took over as interim president in July 2022 after Rajapaksa's removal. Affiliated with the centre-right United National Party (UNP), Wickremesinghe is running as an independent candidate with the slogan "Puluwan Sri Lanka" or "Sri Lanka Can," highlighting his efforts to stabilize the economy.

Despite improved economic indices, lowered inflation, and GDP growth, Wickremesinghe faces criticism from opponents who blame the political elite, including him, for the 2022 economic crisis. Critics also accuse Wickremesinghe of implementing policies that cut social welfare, disproportionately affecting the weaker sections of society.

According to the website Numbers.lk, Anura Kumara Dissanayake from JVP leads with 40% in online polls, while Premadasa follows with 29% and Wickremesinghe with 25%. The economy remains the most critical issue for voters, following the 2022 crash that saw inflation rise to 70% and the currency depreciate by 45%, severely impacting daily life.

(With inputs from agencies.)