Early results from Saturday’s presidential election suggest that 55-year-old Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the National People’s Power (NPP), is on track to become Sri Lanka’s first leftist head of state.

Sri Lanka’s Forign Minister accepts President’s defeat, congratulates AKD

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry extended his congratulations to National People’s Power candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is currently leading in the early results of the 2024 Presidential election.

Taking to ‘X’ Sabry, who supported independent candidate President Ranil Wickremesinghe conceded defeat to Dissanayake.

A senior NPP leader confirmed that NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has secured the most votes in the 2024 Sri Lanka Presidential Election.

“It’s very clear that Anura Kumara Dissanayake will be the next President of Sri Lanka. We have won by a big margin according to the reports we are receiving from our polling agents,” he said.

When asked whether Anura Kumara Dissanayake has secured the 50% needed to win without the second preference vote count, he stated, “With the margin we have, it doesn’t matter whether he reaches 50% or not. It’s clear that the second candidate can’t catch up.”

He further added that Anura Kumara Dissanayake will be sworn-in as soon as the official results are declared.

“It could be Sunday evening, depending on when the final results are officially announced.” He said.

If AKD is declared a winner in the first count, he will be the only politician in Sri Lankan history who would have jumped from 3% votes to over 50% in 5 years.