Fixing Sri Lanka’s economy, wiping out racism top priority, says JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a frontrunner in Sri Lanka's presidential race, vows to fix economy and eradicate racism.

COLOMBO:

Fixing Sri Lanka’s battered economy and wiping out racism will be top priority for a National People’s Power (NPP) government, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, among the frontrunners in the September 21 race, said on Tuesday.  

He spoke to The Hindu amid a hectic campaign at the headquarters of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a party with Marxist origins that is leading the NPP alliance.  Sri Lanka is “poised for a renaissance project”, departing from the old political order, Mr. Dissanayake, 55, said, adding: “People are voting for change.” Multiple domestic polls have given the articulate opposition politician a lead in the contest.

The JVP leader, who was elected to parliament from Colombo, along with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, have emerged as key challengers to incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also running for President.

The NPP’s campaign began “long ago,” Mr. Dissanayake said, referring to his party’s steady efforts soon after its poor performance in the last election in 2019, when he contested and came third, with just 3.16 % of the total votes. It was the election that Gotabaya Rajapaksa won with a clear majority. Mr. Dissanayake’s vote share must swell to over 50 % for him to clinch the presidency.

Also read: Sri Lanka needs a national liberation movement, not mere regime change: Anura Kumara Dissanayake

His prospects improved dramatically in these five years not only because of an impressive grassroots campaign. Sri Lanka has witnessed momentous changes, with a mass uprising ousting Mr. Gotabaya from office when a crushing economic crisis gripped the country in 2022. In addition to demanding his resignation, the people’s movement called for “system change”.  That sentiment, too, has since propelled Mr. Dissanayake to prominence with many, especially youth, seeing him personify the change they sought.