Sajith Premadasa
Sajith Premadasa is a Sri Lankan politician serving as the Leader of the Opposition since 2020 and leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Son of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa, he was educated at Royal College, Mill Hill School, and the London School of Economics (LSE). He previously served as Deputy Minister of Health (2001–2004) and Cabinet Minister of Housing and Samurdhi (2015–2019) in the Yahapalana administration, and was the runner-up in both the 2019 and 2024 Presidential Elections.
Quick Facts
Career Timeline
All data is sourced from primary government records, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Department of Census and Statistics, Supreme Court determinations, and the National Audit Office.
Member of Parliament for Hambantota District
Elected MP for Hambantota District with the highest preference votes for the UNP in the district.
Deputy Minister of Health
Spearheaded rural hospital infrastructure and anti-malaria campaigns in the Southern Province.
Cabinet Minister of Housing and Construction
Launched the 'Semata Sevana' (Shelter for All) national model village re-housing program constructing over 2,500 model villages.
Leader of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) & Opposition Leader
Formed the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) winning 54 seats in the 2020 Parliamentary Election; recognized as Leader of the Opposition.
Runner-up in 2024 Presidential Election & Leader of the Opposition
Secured 4,363,035 votes (32.76%) in the 2024 Presidential Election; retained office as Leader of the Opposition following the November 2024 general election.
Parliament & Terms
Calculated from recorded parliamentary service dates.
Public Accountability
MANDATORY VERIFICATION POLICY: Every submission enters [PENDING REVIEW]. Unverified social media rumors, partisan commentary, or defamatory statements without primary official documentation (Supreme Court, Parliament, NAO, Gazette) will be automatically rejected.
A parliamentary committee inquiry was initiated regarding the allocation of CCF funds for religious and cultural grants during the 2015–2019 tenure. Premadasa maintained all disbursements followed statutory board approvals.