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Sri Lanka opposition leader quits presidential run in bid to stymie Wickremesinghe – By Hannah Ellis Sajith Premadasa instead pledges support for splinter faction of ruling party that could upset PM’s bid to become president Source: theguardian.com Sri Lanka’s main opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa, has withdrawn from the presidential race and thrown his support behind a rival candidate, presenting a significant challenge to prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s bid for the executive role. In an announcement made on Tuesday morning, Premadasa said that “for the greater good of my country that I love and the people I cherish, I hereby withdraw my candidacy for the position of president”. Premadasa instead pledged his support for Dullas Alahapperuma, the candidate from a breakaway group of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party (SLPP). The decision to withdraw from the presidential race is believed to be driven in part by the tough political future that ...