Sri Lankans to protest against Wickremesinghe's bid for president

FILE PHOTO: Ranil Wickremesinghe, newly appointed prime minister, arrives at a Buddhist temple after his swearing-in ceremony, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, May 12, 2022. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lankan students and other groups planned to protest on Tuesday against Ranil Wickremesinghe's expected bid for president, as lawmakers gathered in parliament to finalise candidates for the role.

Six-time prime minister Wickremesinghe took over as acting president after a popular uprising amid a devastating economic crisis forced previous incumbent Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee to Singapore and resign. Demonstrators, angered by rocketing prices and shortages of food and fuel, want Wickremesinghe gone too.