Sri Lanka's new leftist President vows to ‘rewrite history’

Anura Kumara Dissanayake waving as he leaves the Sri Lankan Election Commission after the announcement of the election results in Colombo, on Sept 22. - AP

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s leftist President-elect on Sept 22 invited his compatriots to help him “rewrite” history in the cash-strapped island nation after winning a vote coloured by discontent over an unprecedented financial crisis.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the 55-year-old leader of the People’s Liberation Front, was declared winner of the polls at the weekend with nearly 1.3 million more votes than his nearest rival.