Anura Kumara Dissanayake vows to lead Sri Lanka into ‘new era of Renaissance’

Colombo: Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the Marxist-leaning Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party, who was sworn in on Monday as the ninth Executive President of Sri Lanka, vowed to usher in a “new era of Renaissance” in the island nation. 

“This morning (23rd), I took oath as the 9th Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in the presence of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya at the Presidential Secretariat,” the newly-elected leader said in a post on X.

Expressing his commitment to work for the country, Dissanayake wrote, “I promise to fulfil your responsibility to usher in a new era of Renaissance for this country, and I look forward to your collective contribution to that.”

Addressing the complexity of the challenges Sri Lanka faces, Dissanayake assured citizens that he would work diligently to meet their expectations.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, where Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya administered the oath, marking a historic moment as the country’s first leftist head of state.

After the swearing-in ceremony, he pledged to “restore the public’s confidence in politicians” and to govern the country with wisdom and transparency.

“I’m not a magician but an ordinary citizen with certain capabilities and incapabilities. My top priority is to enhance my abilities, expand my knowledge, and make the best decisions to govern the country,” he further emphasized. The election results were finalized on Sunday evening after Sri Lanka’s first-ever presidential run-off, as neither Dissanayake nor Samagi Jana Sandhanaya candidate Sajith Premadasa secured the required majority in the initial round. According to the Sri Lankan Election Commission, Dissanayake won the presidency with 42.31 percent of the vote, with Premadasa finishing second and outgoing President Ranil Wickremesinghe third.

Following his victory on Sunday, Dissanayake, popularly known as AKD, reflected on the historic nature of the moment, writing on X, “The dream we have nurtured for centuries is finally coming true. This achievement is not the result of any single person’s work, but the collective effort of hundreds of thousands of you. Your commitment has brought us this far, and for that, I am deeply grateful.”  (IANS)

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