The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) had initially planned to field prominent businessman Dhammika Perera as its presidential candidate at the 2024 election, the party’s General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam said.
Speaking during a television interview on December 18, Kariyawasam said the SLPP had completed all preparations to nominate Perera as its candidate, but the businessman declined the offer at the last moment.
According to Kariyawasam, Perera had agreed to contest the election and arrangements — including official ceremonies and consultations with allied parties — had been made in line with his preferences and schedule.
“We had fully prepared Dhammika Perera as the party’s presidential candidate for 2024. He had agreed and was ready to contest. All arrangements were made based on his requirements and auspicious timings,” Kariyawasam said.
He added that the party had no initial intention of putting forward Namal Rajapaksa as its presidential candidate.
Kariyawasam said Perera informed party leaders of his decision to withdraw just two to three days before nominations were due, at a time when an official event to announce his candidacy had already been scheduled.
The SLPP later named Namal Rajapaksa as its candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
In the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election, Namal Rajapaksa received only a small share of the vote compared with the leading candidates. According to election data, Rajapaksa secured approximately 2.78 % of the total votes. (Newswire)
