In a solemn ceremony, L.K. Jagath Priyankara took the oath as a Member of Parliament, filling the seat left vacant by the untimely demise of State Minister Sanath Nishantha, who represented the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) in the Puttalam constituency.
The swearing-in ceremony occurred shortly after the commencement of the parliamentary session at 9:30 a.m. on February 8, with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena officiating. Following the oath-taking, Priyankara proceeded to sign the MPs roll before the Secretary-General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera.
A member of the National Freedom Front (Jathika Nidahas Peramuna), led by MP Wimal Weerawansa, Priyankara is a Samurdhi manager by profession and serves as the convener of the Samurdhi National Organization Centre.
Born in 1979, Priyankara has actively participated in electoral politics, contesting the 2015 General Election under the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and securing the fifth position in the district with 31,424 preferential votes. In 2017, he contested the Local Government (LG) elections under the SLPP and was elected as one of its members. In the 2020 General Election, Priyankara garnered 40,724 votes, securing the sixth position in the district.
State Minister Sanath Nishantha, 48, tragically lost his life along with his security officer in a car crash on the Colombo – Katunayake expressway on January 25. The parliament promptly notified the Election Commission of the vacant MP seat, leading to the subsequent gazetting of L.K. Jagath Priyankara as the designated replacement.
