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Anti-government demonstrators claim Galle Face area was designated agitation site by former Rajapaksa government
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Nominees for Sri Lankan presidential election to be announced on Tuesday
Parliamentary vote to be held on July 20
The Sri Lankan Parliament announced that the nominations for the Presidential elections would be held on Tuesday and the new President of Sri Lanka will be elected on July 20.
It is interesting to note that the main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa will contest the presidential elections. Terming the scenario of him winning Sri Lanka's presidential elections an "uphill task", Premadasa on Friday said that he would contest the elections because he was convinced that the truth would prevail.
Taking to Twitter, Premadasa wrote, "Dates decided for the election of the President as announced in Parliament today. Nominations on Tuesday. Elections on Wednesday. 225 voters in Parliament will decide the destiny of approx 22 million Sri Lankans. GAME ON!"
Moreover, Premadasa earlier wrote, "I am contesting to be the President. The electorate is confined to 225 MPs with the GR (Gotabaya Rajapaksa) coalition dominating the numbers. Even though it is an uphill struggle, I am convinced that truth will prevail."
Sri Lanka's National People's Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake also said that he would contest for the President's post after Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena accepted Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation.
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As the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has resigned from office, in accordance with the Constitution, the Parliament will meet next week and take steps to elect a new President, read a special statement by acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
This comes as Sri Lanka faces its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages.
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