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Dinesh Gunawardena

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Hon.
Dinesh Gunawardena
MP
දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන
தினேஷ் குணவர்தன
Gunawardena in 2020
15th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
In office
22 July 2022 – 23 September 2024
PresidentRanil Wickremesinghe
Preceded byRanil Wickremesinghe
Succeeded byHarini Amarasuriya
Cabinet positions
Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government
In office
18 April 2022 – 23 September 2024
PresidentGotabaya Rajapaksa
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Prime MinisterMahinda Rajapaksa
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Himself
Preceded byJanaka Bandara Tennakoon
Minister of Education
In office
16 August 2021 – 18 April 2022
PresidentGotabaya Rajapaksa
Prime MinisterMahinda Rajapaksa
Preceded byG. L. Peiris
Succeeded byRamesh Pathirana[N 1]
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
22 November 2019 – 16 August 2021
PresidentGotabaya Rajapaksa
Prime MinisterMahinda Rajapaksa
Preceded byTilak Marapana
Succeeded byG. L. Peiris
Minister of Water Supply and Drainage
In office
April 2010 – 12 January 2015
Preceded byA. L. M. Athaullah
Succeeded byRauff Hakeem
Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply[a]
In office
April 2004 – April 2010
Preceded byGamini Atukorale
Succeeded byMahinda Rajapaksa
Deputy Minister of Education of Sri Lanka
In office
April 2004 – January 2007
Succeeded byM. Satchithanandan
Minister of Transport of Sri Lanka[b]
In office
October 2000 – December 2001
Preceded bySrimani Athulathmudali
Succeeded byGamini Atukorale
Parliamentary positions
Leader of the House
In office
3 January 2020 – 27 July 2022
PresidentGotabaya Rajapaksa
Prime MinisterMahinda Rajapaksa
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Himself
Preceded byLakshman Kiriella
Succeeded bySusil Premajayantha
Chief Government Whip
In office
17 June 2008 – 20 January 2015
Preceded byJeyaraj Fernandopulle
Succeeded byGayantha Karunathilaka
President of Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
Incumbent
Assumed office
1972
Preceded byPhilip Gunawardena
Leader of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
In office
July 2022 – 15 December 2023
Preceded byMahinda Rajapaksa
Succeeded byMahinda Rajapaksa
Member of Parliament
In office
10 October 2000 – 24 September 2024
ConstituencyColombo
In office
18 May 1983[1] – 16 August 1994
ConstituencyMaharagama (1983–1989)
Colombo (1989–1994)
Preceded byPremarathne Gunasekera
Personal details
Born (1949-03-02) 2 March 1949 (age 75)
Colombo, Dominion of Ceylon
Political partyMahajana Eksath Peramuna
Other political
affiliations		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance
Alma materRoyal College Colombo, University of Oregon
OccupationTrade unionist
  1. ^ Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development from January 2007 to April 2010.
  2. ^ Minister of Transport and Environment from September 2001 to December 2001.

Dinesh Chandra Rupasinghe Gunawardena (Sinhala: දිනේෂ් චන්ද්‍ර රූපසිංහ ගුණවර්ධන, Tamil: தினேஷ் சந்திர ரூபசிங்க குணவர்தன; born 2 March 1949) is a Sri Lankan politician who served as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2022 to 2024. He also held the positions of Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government. Gunawardena has been leader of the left-wing Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) party since 1983, was briefly the de facto leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna from 2022 to 2023,[2] and has taken cabinet positions under several previous governments, including Leader of the House from 2020 until 2022.

Born in a political family, the son of Philip Gunawardena and Kusumasiri Gunawardena, and nephew of Vivienne Goonewardene, he was educated at Royal College, Colombo and later at the University of Oregon, where he advocated pacifism in the Vietnam War. Entering politics in 1983 as a Member of Parliament from Maharagama and later Colombo, his first role in government was as Minister of Transport under Ratnasiri Wickremanayake.

In 2022, Gunawardena was appointed the Prime Minister after former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned amidst the ongoing economic crisis and Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as his successor. In 2024, Gunawardena resigned.[3]

Early life and family

[edit]

Gunawardena was born into the political Gunawardena family on 2 March 1949.[4][5] His father, Philip Gunawardena, was known as "the Father of Sri Lankan socialism" and a key independence figure, and his mother, Kusumasiri Gunawardena, was a member of parliament. His aunt, Vivienne Goonewardene, was often considered the "foremost female figure in the Sri Lankan left".[5][6]

Educated at Royal Primary School, Colombo and Royal College, Colombo, he went on to study at the Netherlands School of Business.[7][8][9][5][6] He also graduated with a B.B.A. from the University of Oregon, and whilst in the United States, became involved in student activism, taking part in anti-Vietnam War protests.[5]

Gunawardena later married Ramani Wathsala Kotelawela from the Kotelawela/Jayawardena family; who is the niece of Prime Minister General Sir John Kotelawela the third Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.[10][11] They had one son, Yadamini, and one daughter, Sankapali.[6][11] Ramani died of undiagnosed hepatitis in the mid-1980s.[10]

Political career

[edit]

1972–2000

[edit]

After graduation from the University of Oregon, Gunawardena worked in New York City, but returned to Sri Lanka in 1972 after his father's death.[6] He was appointed to the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna's (MEP) central committee in August 1973, and became general-secretary of the MEP in 1974.[5]

Gunawardena was the MEP's candidate in Avissawella at the 1977 parliamentary election, but failed to get elected until he ran as the MEP's candidate in the Maharagama Electoral District at the 1983 by-election, winning and entering Parliament.[12][13] During the 1989 parliamentary election, Gunawardena successfully ran as one of the MEP's candidates in the multi-member Colombo Electoral District.[14] He was again one of the MEP's candidates in Colombo District at the 1994 parliamentary election, but the MEP failed to win any seats in Parliament.

2000–2010

[edit]

On 27 August 2000, the MEP joined the People's Alliance (PA).[15] Gunawardena contested the 2000 parliamentary election as one of the PA's candidates in Colombo District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament.[16]

Following the 2000 election, he was appointed Minister of Transport, and was given the additional portfolio of Environment in September 2001.[17][18] He was re-elected at the 2001 parliamentary election.[19]

On 20 January 2004 the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) formed the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), which the MEP joined on 2 February 2004.[20][21] Gunawardena contested the 2004 parliamentary election as one of the UPFA's candidates in Colombo District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament.[22] He was appointed Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply and Deputy Minister of Education after the election.[23][24] In January 2007 his cabinet portfolio was changed to Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development but he lost his deputy ministerial position.[25][26] He was appointed Chief Government Whip in June 2008.[27]

2010–present

[edit]

Gunawardena was re-elected in the 2010 parliamentary election, following which he was appointed Minister of Water Supply.[28][29][30] He lost his cabinet position following the 2015 presidential election, albeit being re-elected.[31][32] In March 2017 he was suspended from parliamentary sittings for one week due to repeatedly disrupting proceedings.[33]

On 22 July 2022, Gunawardena was appointed Prime Minister after former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned amidst the ongoing economic and political crises and Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as his successor by Parliament. Gunawardena and Wickremesinghe were classmates during school days.[34]

On 23 September 2024, following Wickremesinghe's defeat in the presidential elections and the inauguration of his successor, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Gunawardena resigned from the position of prime minister.[3]

Electoral history

[edit]
Electoral history of Dinesh Gunawardena
Election Constituency Party Alliance Votes Result
1977 parliamentary[12] Avissawella MEP 17,897 Not elected
1983 parliamentary by[13] Maharagama MEP 27,054 Elected
1989 parliamentary[14] Colombo District MEP 70,616 Elected
1994 parliamentary Colombo District MEP Not elected
2000 parliamentary[16] Colombo District MEP PA 114,795 Elected
2001 parliamentary[19] Colombo District MEP PA 87,615 Elected
2004 parliamentary[22] Colombo District MEP UPFA 82,626 Elected
2010 parliamentary[28] Colombo District MEP UPFA 116,860 Elected
2015 parliamentary[35] Colombo District MEP UPFA 124,451 Elected
2020 parliamentary[36] Colombo District MEP SLPFA 85,287 Elected

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ As Minister of Education and Plantation Industries

Further reading

[edit]
  • D P Satish (6 January 2020). "Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Whose Parents Were Jailed During India's Freedom Struggle to Visit Delhi". News18.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Moonsinghe, Vinod (22 May 2020). "The By-Elections of 1983". Daily News. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  2. ^ Pathirana, Saroj. "Sri Lanka presidency a close contest after frontrunner pulls out". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Sri Lankan PM Dinesh Gunawardena resigns". Deccan Herald. PTI. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Directory of Members: Dinesh Gunawardena". Parliament of Sri Lanka.
  5. ^ a b c d e de Silva, W. P. P.; Ferdinando, T. C. L. 9th Parliament of Sri Lanka (PDF). Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. p. 233. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 June 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d Singaravelu, Ananda Nihal (2 March 2009). "Dinesh Turns Three-Score". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
  7. ^ Joseph, Dishan. "Loyal to Royal". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Royal College honours old Royalists in Parliament". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 11 February 2002.
  9. ^ "Ranil's third stint as PM". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 11 January 2015. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016.
  10. ^ a b Peiris, Roshan (2 April 2000). "The Boralugoda 'cub'". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
  11. ^ a b "Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on 'Celeb Chat'". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 31 July 2011.
  12. ^ a b "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1977" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011.
  13. ^ a b "Results of the Parliamentary By-Elections Held Between 1947-1988" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2009.
  14. ^ a b "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1989" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  15. ^ "PA aligns with hard-line Sinhala party". TamilNet. 27 August 2000.
  16. ^ a b "Parliamentary General Election 10.10.2000 - Trincomalee District". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012.
  17. ^ Weerawarne, Sumadhu (15 September 2001). "18 member Cabinet sworn in yesterday". The Island (Sri Lanka).
  18. ^ "SLMC, EPDP get plum portfolios". TamilNet. 19 October 2000.
  19. ^ a b "General Election 2001 Preferences" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2010.
  20. ^ "SLFP-JVP alliance signed in Colombo". TamilNet. 20 January 2004.
  21. ^ "Four Party Leaders sign pact with JVP-SLFP alliance". TamilNet. 2 February 2004.
  22. ^ a b "General Election 2004 Preferences" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2010.
  23. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1335/24. 10 April 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2014.
  24. ^ "The new UPFA Cabinet". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 11 April 2004.
  25. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1482/08. 29 January 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2014.
  26. ^ "The New Cabinet". The Island (Sri Lanka). 29 January 2007.
  27. ^ "Chief Government Whips". Parliament of Sri Lanka.
  28. ^ a b "Parliamentary General Election - 2010 Colombo Preferences" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2010.
  29. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Appointments & c., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1651/3. 26 April 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 May 2010.
  30. ^ "New Cabinet Ministers & Deputy Ministers". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 24 April 2010.
  31. ^ "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Government Notifications PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ACT, No. 1 OF 1981" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1928/03. 19 August 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015.
  32. ^ "Ranil tops with over 500,000 votes in Colombo". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 19 August 2015.
  33. ^ "Dinesh Gunawardena suspended from Parliament for a week for unruly behavior". Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  34. ^ "Dinesh Gunawardena, Sri Lanka president's schoolmate, to be next PM: Report". Hindustan Times News. 21 April 2022.
  35. ^ Jayakody, Pradeep (28 August 2015). "The Comparison of Preferential Votes in 2015 & 2010". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
  36. ^ "District Results - Colombo - Final". Parliamentary General Election 2020 Results. Adaderana. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
Party political offices
Preceded by President of Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
1972–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Leader of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
2022–2023 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Transport
2000–2001 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply
2004–2010 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Water Supply and Drainage
2010–2015 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Foreign Affairs
2019–2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Education
2021–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government
2022–2024 		Succeeded by
TBD
Preceded by Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
2022–2024 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Sri Lanka
Preceded by Chief Government Whip
2008–2015 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Leader of the House
2022–present 		Incumbent
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