ut ara , ▁G alle , ▁Mat ara , ▁Hamb ant ota , ▁Mon ar ag ala , ▁Rat nap ura , ▁Bad ulla , ▁Kur un eg ala , ▁P utt al am , ▁G amp aha , ▁K andy , ▁M ata le , ▁Pol onn aru wa ▁Col om bo , ▁K eg alle ▁and ▁An ur ad h ap ura , ▁while ▁Prem adas a ▁gained ▁a ▁majority ▁in ▁areas ▁domin ated ▁by ▁T amil ▁and ▁Muslim ▁minor ities , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁effect ed ▁by ▁the ▁civil ▁war . ▁Following ▁the ▁election ▁Prem adas a ▁stepped ▁down ▁from ▁all ▁minister ial ▁port fol ios ▁and ▁posts ▁including ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁Deput y ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁National ▁Party . ▁ ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁opposition ▁On ▁ 5 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁nominated ▁as ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁opp ost ion , ▁and ▁was ▁officially ▁named ▁by ▁the ▁speaker ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , 2 0 2 0 . ▁With ▁the ▁app oin ment ▁as ▁Le ader ▁of ▁O pp osition , ▁he ▁was ▁automatic ly ▁given ▁a ▁seat ▁as ▁a ▁Member ▁of ▁Constitution al ▁Council ▁( S ri ▁L anka ). ▁ ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁C andid ate ▁and ▁leader ▁of ▁Sam agi ▁J ana ▁Bal aw eg aya ▁Prem adas a ▁was ▁selected ▁by ▁his ▁party ▁as ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁National ▁Front ▁on ▁ 3 0 th ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁the