The campaigning in Sri Lanka has reached a crescendo as the race towards the executive Presidency nears. The front runners have been finishing their campaigns outside Colombo before their last meetings in the capital tomorrow. As per several surveys and experts, it appears to be a close fight with NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake holding the edge but still behind the 50% mark. The leftist alliance of NPP, which garnered just 3% of the vote in 2019, has since mounted a well-organized political movement that Mr Dissanayake believes will lead to a landmark victory. In the past two years, the party engaged in grassroots-level, well-planned politics across the crisis-hit country, distinguishing itself from its opposition. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa’s SJB who had started their campaign earlier this year have gained popularity in many regions of the island country. With the backing of several parties, the SJB has been hoping to improve their performance from the previous election. Notably, key parties in Tamil areas as well as two Muslim parties have backed the 57-year-old opposition leader.

Amid the campaigning, the IMF had said that Sri Lanka’s economic reform program is showing positive results, and the next review will take place after a new government is formed following the elections. Riding on the successful IMF agreement, incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is contesting as an independent candidate, has been addressing rallies alongside his supporters. He has been backed by several SLPP parliamentarians as well as small parties. Mr Wickremasinghe has criticised his opponents on the issue of the IMF agreement and said that there is no question of renegotiation in the deal. Meanwhile, SJB MP Mano Ganesan has strongly criticized President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent statement suggesting that SJB leader Sajith Premadasa would not receive support from the IMF.

While the front-runner candidates have been holding their meetings and rallies, SLPP candidate Namal Rajapaksa made an emotional appeal to the public, acknowledging past shortcomings and seeking support for his candidacy. SLPP had won the 2019 election decisively under Gotabaya Rajapaksa riding on a nationalism plank.

It is however worth noting that although a record 38 candidates are in the fray, none of them are women. In a country which has over 52% of women’s workforce, political representation of women is low on the island.

While the campaigning would end on the 18th leading to the campaign silence period of 72 hours, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles told a newspaper that Police have been permitted to use their firearms if unrest occurs at polling stations, during the election. The minister has said that there are currently no plans to impose a curfew on election day and that all security measures are in place. Further, around 54,000 police officers are expected to be deployed for election security.

In a related development, the Excise department has announced that liquor shops and wine stores islandwide will be closed on the 21st and 22nd of September in view of the Election.

While the Postal Department has informed that 98% of Polling Cards have been distributed, it further added that voters can collect missing cards from Wednesday from the post offices.  However, the Election Commission confirmed that voting is still possible without an official polling card, as long as voters present their NIC of the official identification card.