Who is Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sri Lanka's new president

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has been elected as Sri Lanka's next President after the first elections since the country's economic crisis. Dissanayake is the leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)'s broader coalition National People's Power (NPP).Dissanayake secured almost 42% of the popular vote against his nearest rival Sajith Premadasa, who secured only 23% of the votes polled.

He was born in Thambuttegama, about 100 km from Colombo, on November 24, 1968. At the age of four, he moved to Kekirawa and became the first student from his school to qualify for university. He rose as a student leader in the 1990s by joining the JVP's anti-government armed uprising between 1987 and 89 against the "imperialist and capitalist" regimes of then Presidents Jayawaardene and R Premadasa. He was appointed as national organiser of the Socialist Youth Organistion, JVP's youth wing. He had joined JVP's decidion making body, the politburi by 1998.

He rose to prominence when he fought Parliamentary polls from Karunegala district and was reelected. he was made a Cabinet minister in the President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga government, as part of the coalition government.

In January 2014, Anura Kumara Dissanayake became the leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), replacing Somawansa Amarasinghe. In the 2015 general elections, Dissanayake ran from the Colombo district and won a seat in Parliament. Following his victory, he served as the Chief Opposition Whip. In the 2019 presidential election, Dissanayake ran for office but received only about 3% of the vote.