‘Baseless, Purely Speculative’: India Denies Reports Of New Delhi Influencing Sri Lanka President Polls

On Wednesday, Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as the 8th President of Sri Lanka amid economic and political turmoil in the island nation. 

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar chairs a meeting of Floor Leaders of political parties regarding 'Present Situation in Sri Lanka', in New Delhi, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: The High Commission of India in Colombo on Wednesday denied media reports which stated that New Delhi influenced political leaders in Sri Lanka on a political level regarding the presidential polls there. Terming the media reports as “baseless” and “purely speculative” the Indian High Commission said that the “media reports are completely false”. 

“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,” it acknowledged in a tweet. 

“We categorically deny these media reports as completely false,” the High Commission said adding “They are clearly a figment of someone’s imagination.” 

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 the post of the President of Sri Lanka.

We categorically deny 1/3

— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) July 20, 2022

these media reports as completely false. They are clearly a figment of someone’s imagination.

It is reiterated that India supports the realization of aspirations of the people of Sri Lanka in accordance with democratic means and values, established institutions as well as (2/3)

— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) July 20, 2022

“It is 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,” it added further. 

On Wednesday, Ranil Wickremesinghe was elected as the 8th President of Sri Lanka amid economic and political turmoil in the island nation. 

Wickremesinghe — who was serving as the acting President of the country after Gotabaya fled Sri Lanka with his wife to Maldives — led the contest by 134 votes followed by dissident ruling party leader Dullas Alahapperuma with 82 votes while leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake trailed with only 3 votes.