Anura Dissanayake takes oath as Sri Lanka's 9th President  

Colombo, Sep 23 (IANS) Anura Dissanayake, leader of the Marxist-leaning Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party, was sworn in on Monday as the ninth President of Sri Lanka, marking a historic moment as the country's first leftist head of state.  

The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, where Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya administered the oath.

The result was decided Sunday evening after Sri Lanka's first-ever presidential run-off with the counting of second preference votes following both Dissanayake and Samagi Jana Sandhanaya candidate Sajith Premadasa failing to get the required percentage of votes.

"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. This victory belongs to all of us," 55-year-old Dissanayake, also popularly known as AKD, said in a post on X after the final result was announced by the Lankan Election Commission post 7 p.m on Sunday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Dissanayake on securing the win.

"Congratulations Anura Disanayake, on your victory in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections. Sri Lanka holds a special place in India's Neighbourhood First Policy and Vision SAGAR. I look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our multifaceted cooperation for the benefit of our people and the entire region," Prime Minister Modi said in a post on social media platform X late Sunday.

Thanking PM Modi, Dissanayake posted, "Thank you, Prime Minister Modi, for your kind words and support. I share your commitment to strengthening the ties between our nations. Together, we can work towards enhancing cooperation for the benefit of our peoples and the entire region."

Indian High Commissioner was one of the first to meet Dissanayake on Sunday following his victory announcement.

"HC Santosh Jha called on Sri Lankan President-elect Anura Dissanayake. Conveyed greetings from India's leadership and congratulated him on winning the people's mandate. India as Sri Lanka's civilisational twin is committed to further deepen ties for the prosperity of the people of our two countries," the High Commission posted on X.

India's decisive political and economic support during Sri Lanka's 2022 economic crisis truly solidified the relationship. In its time of dire need, India extended a lifeline of US$4.5 billion in cash and resources, showcasing an unwavering commitment to its neighbour and elevating the bilateral ties to new levels of trust and cooperation.

According to Sri Lanka's Election Commission, Dissanayake won the presidency with 42.31 per cent of the vote, with Premadasa finishing second and incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was eliminated after the first round, in third position.

The leader has been a key figure in Sri Lanka's political discourse for some time now.

The election, held on Saturday, saw Dissanayake lead over veteran political figures such as incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition leader Premadasa.

--IANS

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