evidence: An opposition MP said Wickremesinghe’s hardline stance against demonstrators was going down well with MPs who had been at the receiving end of mob violence, and most SLPP legislators would side with him. "Ranil is emerging as the law-and-order candidate," Tamil MP Dharmalingam Sithadthan told AFP. [...] Ranil Wickremesinghe’s rise to power is remarkable. He has ran unsuccessfully for president twice before but secured enough votes among lawmakers despite controlling just one seat – as leader of the United National Party (UNP). His experience in senior government positions, and a reputation as a shrewd operator that earned him the nickname "the fox", should count in his favour as he seeks a way out of Sri Lanka’s devastating economic crisis. Wickremesinghe has also recently negotiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and enjoys a working relationship with key donor countries including India. Whether he can quell mass protests that led to the ouster of the previous president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, remains to be seen.