Sri Lankan lawmakers prepare to vote on new president

By KRISHAN FRANCIS
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The leader of Sri Lanka’s main opposition party withdrew his candidacy for president and threw his support to another contender trying to succeed the ousted leader who fled the country last week. Sajith Premadasa, leader of the main opposition party, said he would back former government minister Dullas Alahapperuma, who was nominated Tuesday by a breakaway faction of the ruling coalition. Marxist party leader Anura Dissanayake was also expected to contest Wednesday’s parliamentary vote. Other members of the fragmented ruling coalition are backing Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, a choice expected to incense protesters outraged by the country’s dire economic crisis.