Sajith Premadasa
Sajith Premadasa (Sinhala: සජිත් ප්රේමදාස, Tamil: சஜித் பிரேமதாச; born 12 January 1967) is a Sri Lankan politician. He is the current Leader of the Opposition of Sri Lanka and Member of Parliament for Colombo District. He is the current leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.
Sajith Premadasa | |
|---|---|
| සජිත් ප්රේමදාස சஜித் பிரேமதாச | |
| 15th Leader of the Opposition | |
| Assumed office 3 January 2020 | |
| President | Gotabaya Rajapaksa Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Prime Minister | Mahinda Rajapaksa Ranil Wickremesinghe Dinesh Gunawardena |
| Preceded by | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya | |
| Assumed office 11 February 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Position Established |
| Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs | |
| In office 20 December 2018 – 17 November 2019 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Wimal Weerawansa |
| Succeeded by | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| In office 12 January 2015 – 26 October 2018 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Wimal Weerawansa |
| Succeeded by | Wimal Weerawansa |
| Deputy Minister of Health | |
| In office 2001–2004 | |
| President | Chandrika Kumaratunga |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Member of Parliament for Colombo District | |
| Assumed office 20 August 2020 | |
| Majority | 305,744 Preferential Votes |
| Member of Parliament for Hambantota District | |
| In office 18 October 2000 – 3 March 2020 | |
| Majority | 112,645 Preferential Votes |
| Deputy Leader of the United National Party | |
| In office 2014–2020 | |
| Preceded by | Karu Jayasuriya |
| Succeeded by | Ruwan Wijewardene |
| In office 2011–2013 | |
| Preceded by | Karu Jayasuriya |
| Succeeded by | Karu Jayasuriya |
| Member of Parliamentary Council | |
| Assumed office 29 October 2020 | |
| President | Gotabaya Rajapaksa Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Prime Minister | Mahinda Rajapaksa Ranil Wickremesinghe Dinesh Gunawardena |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 January 1967 Colombo, Dominion of Ceylon |
| Political party | Samagi Jana Balawegaya (after 2020) |
| Other political affiliations | United National Party (before 2020) |
| Spouse |
Jalani Premadasa (m. 1999) |
| Parent(s) | Ranasinghe Premadasa Hema Premadasa |
| Education | Royal College, Colombo |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics University of Maryland |
| Profession | Politician |
| Website | Official website |
Premadasa is the son of Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was the President of Sri Lanka from 1989 to 1993. He was educated at S. Thomas' Preparatory School, Royal College, Colombo and Mill Hill School before entering London School of Economics. He was doing his postgraduate studies at the University of Maryland when his father was assassinated in 1993. He returned to Sri Lanka and entered politics, representing the Hambantota District, having joined the United National Party. He was elected to parliament in 2000 and was appointed Deputy Minister of Health in 2001, serving until 2004. He was appointed deputy leader of the United National Party in 2011 and was appointed Cabinet Minister of Housing and Samurdhi in President Sirisena's national government in 2015. He contested the 2019 Presidential Election in November 2019 as the Presidential Candidate from United National Front, in which he polled second. In December 2019, he was appointed as the leader of the opposition and a member of the Constitutional Council of Sri Lanka. On 30 January 2020, he was selected as the leader (hence Prime Ministerial candidate) of a new UNP lead alliance.