Sri Lankan Prime Minister Resigns Amid Power Transition

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena resigned following the presidential election win by Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The resignation precedes Dissanayake's swearing-in ceremony. Gunawardena, serving since July 2022, announced his departure in a letter. Dissanayake leads the NPP and defeated Sajith Premadasa of SJB in a significant election after mass protests ousted Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022.

Dinesh Gunawardena, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, tendered his resignation on Monday, facilitating a smooth power transition after Anura Kumara Dissanayake's presidential election triumph.

The resignation comes just before Dissanayake's swearing-in ceremony. Gunawardena, who served as Prime Minister since July 2022, addressed his departure in a letter to the newly elected President, expressing his intention to create an environment conducive to forming a new Cabinet.

Dissanayake, aged 56, leader of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna party's broader front National People’s Power (NPP), claimed victory over his nearest contender Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). This election marks the first since the mass protests that toppled Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022, triggered by the nation's economic turmoil.

(With inputs from agencies.)