Governor Resigns, Backs SJB After Meeting Jha

Sri Lanka’s Provincial Governor, A J M Muzammil, resigned from his position and pledged his support to opposition leader Sajith Premadasa in the upcoming presidential election after meeting Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha.

Muzammil, who was appointed Governor of Uva Province in 2020 by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, expressed his disappointment with other governors campaigning for candidates while holding office. He confirmed his support for Premadasa in his resignation letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Though Muzammil met the Indian envoy before his resignation, Indian officials emphasized that the meeting was part of regular political dialogue, unrelated to his decision.

Muzammil’s move comes days after Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), announced its support for Premadasa following talks with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

India, while actively engaged in bilateral issues with Sri Lanka, has not openly backed any presidential candidates in the upcoming election.