The Working Committee of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has unanimously decided to make Party Leader, Sajith Premadasa the Presidential Candidate of the SJB for the upcoming Presidential election.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Working Committee held this evening.

Premadasa is the son of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was assassinated in 1993. He is a former Deputy Minister of Health and Cabinet Minister of Housing and Samurdhi.

He contested the 2019 Presidential Election as the candidate of the United National Front (UNF), but lost to Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The SJB is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka. It was formed in 2020 after the UNF split. The party is currently led by Premadasa.

Sajith Premadasa yesterday said that the Opposition will provide its support for the government’s proposal to hold the Presidential elections prior to the specified time frame in 2024.

MP Premadasa said, however, attempts by the government to hold the Presidential elections at their own convenience and according to their convenient timeframes is a violation of democracy.

He further pointed out that it was wrong to plan the Presidential elections based on the directives of the President or those supporting him.

MP Sajith Premadasa assured that the Opposition will extend its support to bring in the necessary regulations to hold the Presidential elections soon.