Ranil Wickremesinghe became the eighth executive President of Sri Lanka, winning the Presidential election comfortably with an absolute majority.
President Wickremesinghe polled 134 votes in Parliament against his closest contestant Dullas Allahapperuma secured 82 votes, and the third candidate, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, could obtain only three votes.
Accepting the Presidency, President Wickremesinghe invited everybody to work together while thanking Dullas Allahaperuma and Anura kumara Dissnaya for furthering the democratic process. The new President thanked all party leaders, including Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sajith Premadasa and invited Maithripala Sirisiena to work as one force to salvage the country.
Wickremesinghe said during the past forty-eight hours, we worked divided, and now it has ended and called for a consensus government to take the country forward.
He is likely to take oaths tomorrow at the Parliamentary complex in the presence of the Chief Justice.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene thanked all the candidates, the Chief Justice, Attorney General and the Secretary-General of Parliament for extending their help.
He also thanked the Chief of Defence staff and all the others who helped to take the democratic process ahead.
