In 2024, many countries held elections, and one exciting event was in Sri Lanka when Anura Kumara Dissanayake, known as AKD, became President. This was special because it was the first time a candidate from a third party won the presidency in Sri Lanka’s history.
During a podcast about Indian politics, expert Neil DeVotta explained how AKD’s victory could affect both Sri Lanka and India. Although AKD comes from a party with a troubled past, he has apologized for it and is working to connect with Sri Lanka’s minority groups, which include Tamils and Muslims. However, the majority of these communities did not support him in the election, so he faces a challenge: he must support minorities without upsetting the Sinhalese Buddhist majority, who make up a large part of Sri Lanka’s population.
DeVotta mentioned that many believe AKD’s win helps China and not India, but this is not exactly true. AKD’s party has historically been against India, but he recently promised not to harm India’s interests and to remain neutral in global matters. He aims for a balanced relationship with both China and India, hoping to attract investments from both countries that will genuinely help Sri Lanka grow and create jobs. Unlike past leaders, AKD wants to make sure these investments are right for the country and won’t result in wasteful projects
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