Jayasuriya wins parliament seat

[Marxist]

Sanath Jayasuriya has won a seat in parliament for the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, AFP has reported. Jayasuriya, 40, cast his ballot on Wednesday, a day before the nationwide election as he had to head back to India to play in the ongoing IPL.

Jayasuriya won 74,352 votes to win his seat in his hometown Matara, in the southern province, an official with the local election commission said. Jayasuriya is the latest high-profile cricketer in the country to join politics, following the footsteps of former World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga and Hashan Tillekaratne.

Incidentally, Ranatunga was formerly with the UPFA, before switching allegiance to the defeated opposition presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka, of the Democratic National Alliance.

Jayasuriya quit Tests in 2007 to focus in his limited-overs career. However, he's not been able to hold his place in the national team of late.
Jayasuriya wins parliament seat | Cricket News | Global | Cricinfo.com

 

[prodevelopment]

Did he even have time to campaign? He has been playing in the IPL for the past month with Mumbai Indians.

More importantly, will he have to quit cricket immediately?

 

[Philosopher1]

Did he even have time to campaign? He has been playing in the IPL for the past month with Mumbai Indians.

More importantly, will he have to quit cricket immediately?

He is on the 20:20 squad for world cup.

He doesn't need to campaign , just his poster is more than enough.

 

[rangbaaz]

good that he's secured his future. we will never be forgotten for his dashing strokes. hopefully he plays an aggressive role in the politics too.