Sarath Fonseka declares presidential candidacy, vows to fight corruption

Sarath Fonseka declares presidential candidacy, vows to fight corruption (Photo/X@SF2024_SL)

VoM News Desk | July 25, 2024 | 05:31 PM IST | Elections 2024, Sri Lanka, World | Follow on Google News

Sarath Fonseka declares presidential candidacy, vows to fight corruption

Sarath Fonseka declares presidential candidacy, vows to fight corruption

Key Highlights:

1. Sarath Fonseka declares his candidacy for Sri Lanka’s Presidential election.
2. Fonseka vows to combat corruption and revitalize the economy.
3. Justice Minister Rajapakshe and other leaders also enter the presidential race.

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, renowned for his leadership in defeating the LTTE, has officially declared his candidacy for Sri Lanka’s upcoming Presidential election. Fonseka, the former Army chief, pledged to tackle corruption and revitalize the economy. The exact date for the election, slated between September 17 and October 16, will be announced on Friday.

“I wish to announce my candidacy for the Presidency to the people of Sri Lanka,” Fonseka stated on social media platform X. “For 76 years, we have been led by an inept political group that has driven us to bankruptcy. For Sri Lanka to grow, we need to crush corruption. We need to leverage our natural resources to boost income generation. This is my formal and official announcement as the Presidential candidate of Sri Lanka for the 2024 Presidential election.”

Fonseka emphasized his commitment to inclusive governance and leadership, inviting public suggestions as he and his team prepare to publish their policy statement. Despite facing defeat in the 2010 presidential election against Mahinda Rajapaksa, the 73-year-old Fonseka urged all Sri Lankans to join him in creating a corruption-free nation.

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has also entered the race, underscoring the election’s critical importance for the nation’s future. “This election would be crucial for the nation’s future,” Rajapakshe declared.

The political landscape is further crowded with opposition leaders like Sajith Premadasa and Marxist JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, both confirming their candidacy. Additionally, President Ranil Wickremesinghe will seek re-election.

The Elections Commission announced it would soon unveil the election date, while clarifying it bears no responsibility for statements made by various parties regarding polling day, as reported by the Daily Mirror newspaper.

VoM News Desk

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