2024 Presidential election -one like no other - EDITORIAL

The 2024 presidential election campaign has now reached its peak. In two days time -on Wednesday midnight- all campaigning will come to an end. In this election, we see many similarities and differences from the presidential election of 2019. 

Expatriate professionals have returned from abroad to campaign on behalf of a particular candidate. At the same time during the present presidential polls, we have three main candidates and a plethora of others contesting the election. 

It is widely believed that none of the candidates will receive an outright victory in the first round of counting. In plain language, none is expected to achieve the magical figure of 50%+1 votes needed to be elected president at the first round of counting. In this scenario we will witness the counting of preferential votes.

The candidates themselves however, are predicting outright victories for themselves. This is to be expected -just one more fib to be listed among their election promises.  

Unlike in previous presidential elections, this time the election will not be between two main contestants. A new kid on the bloc has emerged and is giving both the incumbent president and the leader of the opposition a run for their money. In fact, many believe he may not only split the contest but may even upset the apple cart.  

President Ranil Wickremesinghe the leader of the United National Party is standing as an independent candidate with the backing of a number of political parties and organisations. His campaign is based on his performance since he assumed the presidency. 

During his short stint as president, via negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and connections with the ‘Paris Club’, he was able to regain Lanka’s creditworthiness and reduce inflation from 70% in 2022 to 1.7% by June this year. The rupee has appreciated and during the first quarter of the year, economic growth increased to 5.3%. Foreign remittances also increased appreciably. 

Wickremesinghe also ended the rolling 12-hour power cuts, the miles-long petrol and gas queues, the unavailability of essentials and controlled to a degree the skyrocketing cost of living. These achievements could scarcely be forgotten. 

His chosen symbol -the gas cylinder- is a stark reminder of the manner he guided the country out of the near anarchic political chaos which could have arisen as a consequence of the ‘Aragalaya’. The continuing unrest and confusion in Bangladesh in the aftermath of the then premier -Sheik Hasina- fleeing the country is the best example of this.

The other two leading candidates for the presidency are Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the NPP. 

The political ideology of Premadasa (the Leader of the Opposition in parliament) and President Wickremesinghe are no different. Their differences arose over the leadership of the UNP. Premadasa’s Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) is the outcome of those differences.  

Both Premadasa and Wickremesinghe have accepted into their fold tainted members of rejected political parties, whose esteem among the public is low. 

Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) the leader of the National People’s Power (NPP) with a combination of student organisations and small trade unions is a political upstart, whose stated policies differ from those of Wickremesinghe and Premadasa. The NPP lays claim to being untouched by the corruption which is rampant in the country. Though claiming to be non-racist however, its origins were nationalist and not pro-minority.  

Today its strong anti-corruption stance and the fact it has not faced charges of corruption has drawn many young people into its fold. Sadly its involvement in two brutal southern uprisings has scared the older generation. But many persons of middle-class origin tired of growing corruption country-wide are flocking around its banner.  

Many among the Muslim community who have suffered under past regimes are joining its bandwagon. The NPP leader’s simplicity in visiting Tamil political leaders in their homes has also earned them respect among Tamils in the north.  

Much is at stake in this election as the country has not yet repaid its foreign debt. According to ‘Bloomberg’ foreign investors are shying away from investing in Lanka fearing political instability. It is therefore paramount we use our vote wisely and ensure whatever the outcome of the election, violence is eschewed, lest we degenerate into a Bangladeshi-like stew.