'Completely false', 'purely speculative': India on media reports on influencing Sri Lankan presidential election

Colombo: India on Wednesday underlined that it does not interfere in the internal affairs and democratic processes of another country, while terming as "baseless" and "purely speculative" the media reports on influencing Sri Lankan leaders at political level in the presidential election in the island nation.

Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe was on Wednesday elected as Sri Lanka’s new President by Parliament, following a high-voltage political drama which saw his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa fleeing the country and resigning after a popular uprising against his government for mismanaging the economy.

In a series of tweets, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said, "We have seen baseless and purely speculative media reports about efforts at political level from India to influence political leaders in Sri Lanka regarding elections in the Sri Lankan Parliament to the post of the President of Sri Lanka.

"(We) categorically deny these media reports as completely false. They are clearly a figment of someone’s imagination." The High Commission reiterated that India supports the realisation of aspirations of the people of Sri Lanka in accordance with democratic means and values, established institutions as well as constitutional provisions, "and doesn’t interfere in internal affairs and democratic processes of another country".

The 73-year-old six-time prime minister, Wickremesinghe, secured 134 votes in the 225-member House, while his nearest rival and dissident ruling party leader Dullas Alahapperuma got 82. Leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake secured just three votes.

The new president will have a mandate to serve out the rest of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term, which ends in November 2024.