First communist leader Anura Dissanayake elected President of Sri Lanka

Anura Dissanayake won the presidential election in Sri Lanka to become the first communist President in the country’s history.

Dissanayake trumped his nearest rival Sajith Premadasa and the serving president Ranil Wickremesinghe after winning more than 5.63 million votes. Considering he led by 1 million votes with a 10% difference in total, the Sri Lankan Election Commission decided to declare him the winner.

It marked a spectacular turnaround as Dissanayake had won a mere 3% of the vote in the last presidential election in 2019. According to PTI, he is set to take oath today.

The Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader’s campaign was built on sweeping reforms, tackling corruption, and ensuring economic relief. In short, Dissanayake offered a political revolution through the ballot.

Dissanayake hails from Thambuttegama, in the North Central District of Anuradhapura.

In his own words, “an aspirational youth who wanted to change the world,” the man who will be President has consistently claimed that only a massive political transition can help Sri Lanka dig itself out from the current morass. A core value in this is to empower the island’s majority – the working class, the rural folks – who have no say in political decision-making.

The son of “working-class parents” as he describes himself, Dissanayake attended two public schools in his hometown and was the first student from Thambuttegama to enter university. His involvement with student politics saw him join the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in 1987. Soon he was fully absorbed in JVP politics.

A bright student, Dissanayake entered the University of Peradeniya but had to leave as threats mounted. In 1992, he got himself transferred to the University of Kelaniya and graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Dissanayake has been steadfast in his criticism of cronyism, nepotism, concentration of power, and corruption.

In parliament and outside, Dissanayake has been a strong anti-corruption voice demanding accountability.