Ranil-Gota tipped to run in Presidential race
Posted on August 3rd, 2019

Courtesy The Island

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Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa are tipped to be nominated presidential aspirants of the proposed National Democratic Front (NDF) and the United National Joint Alliance (UNJA), respectively, political sources said.

The UNP and the SLFP/SLPP are now working on forming separate alliances to draw on the support of other political parties to make a stronger impact on the electorate as the fray to win this year’s presidential stakes gather momentum, the sources said.

Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to contest under the ‘elephant’ symbol, while Gotabaya Rajapaksa will throw his hat into the ring under the ‘Flower Bud’ (Pohottuwa) symbol, according to the sources.

3 Responses to “Ranil-Gota tipped to run in Presidential race”

  1. Dilrook Says:

    As things are, if this happens, Gotabaya will win 53% of the vote while Ranil will struggle to make it to 39%. If UNP fields Karu, it will be far worse.

    (This is not an approval of the outcome but a detached observation based on past election performance and current sentiment.)

    The bad side of this is the division of the country/people from the election day itself. Tamils and Muslims will totally reject Gotabaya making him a mere Sinhala tribal leader (much like Sambandan or Hakeem in an electoral sense), not a national leader. Tamils and Muslims will make a global cry claiming they have been imposed with a politician they rejected by over 90%. (No point in wasting money to win their hearts and minds as they cannot be won. But in the process SLPP will lose Sinhala votes at the 2024 presidential election).

    Ranil on the other hand will win the north, east, Nuwara Eliya and Colombo districts but will be rejected by all others. So he too will not be a national leader.

    Hobson’s choice for those looking to unite Sri Lanka, if at all the 9 piece island can be united.

  2. Ananda-USA Says:

    Let me make a PREDICTION that is AT ODDS with Dilrook’s pessimistic view:

    I think the vote for Gothabhaya as President will be substantially larger, greater than 60%! No nonsense STRENGTH, PATRIOTISM and DEMONSTRATED EFFICIENCY will be the reason!

    Most Sinhalese .. both Buddhist and Christian …. even die-hard UNPers, and small numbers of Tamils and even Muslims, will vote for Gota. Even the minorioties now understand the Sinhala mindset better; that under Sinhala Buddhist majority rule their rights will be PROTECTED and they will PROSPER in a STABLE, Law Abiding country. They recognize that as the BUDDHIST way!

    Everybody who has children yearn for a stable, economically strong country developing at a rapid pace, with a GOVT FIRMLY COMMITTED to maintaining Law and Order! The people have GRITTED their teeth and waited patiently for this moment to launch a TSUNAMI that will sweep the BASTARDS away!

    In the wake of this Presidential elections, there will be LANDSLIDE VICTORIES for the DESHAPREMI FORCES of Lanka in the Provincial and General Elections as well!

    Jayawewa, my dear Ratna Bhumi, Vijaya Bhumi, JAYAWEWA!

  3. Dilrook Says:

    I generally don’t publicize election forecasts; will not do once the election has been set.

    I challenge Ananda on the percentages – we can see whose prediction is closest to reality when election results are declared. (There will be some ups and downs from now to the election date.)

    My forecast of Gotabaya’s percentage – 53%
    Ananda’s prediction – >60%

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