Sri Lanka’s presidential election result has seen a surprising ascent of a Marxist lawmaker to potentially lead the country. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has gained edge over other political rivals as counting enters second round in the national elections. Dissanayake, who started politics during school time by being actively involved in campus politics in Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), rose through the party over the years, becoming an important figure in Sri Lanka‘s political scenario.

The 55-year-old leader heads the left-leaning coalition National People’s Power (NPP), an umbrella of civil society groups, professionals, Buddhist clergy, and students, which is leading in the election result.

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Here are ten important facts about the likely new president of Sri Lanka:

1. A Marxist leader, Dissanayake is known for pro-working class and anti-political elite activities. The left leader gained popularity among the youth, raising his voice against the political elites. Born in 1968 in a village in Thambuththegama, Sri Lanka. Dissanayake grew up studying in a local school and then became the first person to get admission into a university from his locality.
2. During the JVP insurrection in 1987 and 1989, Dissanayake was actively engaged in political activities, and due to political intimidations, he had to leave the University of Peradeniya for the University of Kelaniya in 1995, from where he completed his graduation in physical science in 1995.
3. In 1998, Dissanayake became a prominent member of the JVP Politburo, when the party supported Chandrika Kumaratunga’s government in the mainstream politics of the country. Dissanayake became a cabinet minister in President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s government in 2004 and held a portfolio including agriculture, livestock, land, and irrigation. However, he resigned from his position following a joint agreement between the government and the LTTE for tsunami relief coordination.
4. Succeeding Somawansa Amarasinghe, Dissanayake became the JVP chief in 2014. Though he contested the 2019 presidential election as a JVP candidate, he was pushed to the third position with a meagre three percentage votes. In 2024, Dissanayake announced his second presidential bid under the coalition force of the National People’s Power (NPP).
5. Notably, knocking out the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe and pushing behind the opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, Dissanayake has emerged victorious in the country that experienced economic collapse following alleged bad economic policies, resulting in unprecedented inflation, economic instability, and bankruptcy. The situation led to the downfall of the Rajapaksa dynasty amid public disappointment, leading to rioting in which protesters took over key buildings, including the president’s house, forcing then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign and flee the country.
6. After the 2022 economic collapse, Wickremesinghe was elected by a parliamentary vote to cover the remainder of Rajapaksa’s five-year term, and 2024 was analyzed to be a referendum on the incumbent president’s leadership.
7. Though the measures brought by the incumbent president Wickremesinghe to tackle the economic failure by securing a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund curbed inflation to an extent, the heavy taxes reportedly affected the ordinary citizens of the country, which Dissanayake criticized. He also slammed other measures, including the IMF conditions, and advocated supporting businesses through targeted taxation reforms and increasing social welfare schemes.
8. The JVP leader positioned itself as a voice for change, appealing to voters disillusioned by traditional political structures and calling for system change to end corruption and mismanagement. During the election campaign, Dissanayake had expressed his confidence, saying, hundreds of people are with the party.
9. Notably, in an attempt to mobilize people and change their image of the party, Dissanayake had earlier expressed remorse in the violent JVP insurrection in 1971 and 1987, admitting that several atrocities had taken place back during the tumultuous times back then. He also pledged that such actions would never take place under JVP.
10. During his election campaign, Dissanayake stressed the importance of accountability from politicians, blaming the country’s leadership for failing to address the causes of economic crises. Dissanayake also promised fundamental reforms in education, the economy, and other fields.

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