Sri Lanka, March 28 -- There was a noticeable shift in the country's political landscape towards the UNP and its leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe. Chandrika's declining popularity from 1994 to 1999, due to her inability to sustain it during her five-year tenure, led to a significant disparity. As a result, the contest between her and Ranil Wickremesinghe became increasingly close. However, this dynamic shifted somewhat with the crossover of several UNP members, including Sarath Amunugama, to the SLFP, signalling the start of the 1999 Presidential Election campaign.

When President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga called for Presidential Elections in 1999, the Elections Commissioner was recovering from a heart attack. His planned return to s...