In a striking departure from his party’s usual stance, Minister K.D. Lal Kantha has publicly acknowledged that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe was the only leader capable of stabilizing Sri Lanka during its unprecedented economic collapse.
During an interview on a YouTube chanel, Lal Kantha — a prominent figure in the ruling National People’s Power government and a longtime critic of Wickremesinghe’s economic policies — credited the former president’s deep-rooted understanding of the system as instrumental in guiding the country through its darkest financial hour.
“When Sri Lanka hit rock bottom, there was no one else who could have stepped in,” Lal Kantha said. “Ranil managed this system from within. That is the truth.”
His remarks mark a rare gesture of recognition from across the political aisle. Lal Kantha, known for his strong opposition to neoliberal economic frameworks, acknowledged that Wickremesinghe’s experience, institutional familiarity, and longstanding engagement with Sri Lanka’s economic machinery made him uniquely suited for leadership amid crisis.
“It wasn’t about political opportunity — it was about systemic fluency,” he added. “Ranil was entangled in this economic process from the beginning. He was born into it.”
Drawing a direct line between Wickremesinghe and the late President J.R. Jayewardene — architect of Sri Lanka’s open economy in 1977 — Lal Kantha described Wickremesinghe as the most significant political figure to emerge from that legacy.
“Ranil is the most important figure produced by that system since Jayewardene,” he said.
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