UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is preparing to contest the 2029 Presidential Election as a candidate, according to party sources.
Several individuals who spoke to the media following the UNP Working Committee meeting held last Thursday (11) confirmed this, stating that Wickremesinghe has already begun making preparations with the aim of returning to the Presidency.
A notable aspect of this development is that Wickremesinghe will be over 80 years of age by 2029. He has also previously undergone open-heart surgery.
Ranil Wickremesinghe first contested a Presidential Election in 1999, when he was defeated by Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
He contested again in 2005 but was defeated by Mahinda Rajapaksa. On both occasions, Wickremesinghe entered the race while serving as the Leader of the Opposition.
Most recently, Wickremesinghe contested the 2024 Presidential Election while serving as the incumbent President. However, he was defeated and finished in third place, marking a historic outcome in the election.
