ith ▁Prem adas a ▁as ▁the ▁candidate ▁and ▁organized ▁a ▁r ally ▁in ▁Bad ulla ▁where ▁Prem adas a ▁himself ▁open ly ▁expressed ▁his ▁intent ions ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁UN P ▁candidate ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁growing ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁deput y ▁leader ▁S aj ith ▁Prem adas a ▁and ▁party ▁leader ▁Ran il ▁W ick rem es ing he ▁ref using ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁move , ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁parliament ▁Kar u ▁Jay as uri ya ▁released ▁a ▁statement ▁sign alling ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁presiden cy ▁to ▁end ▁the ▁confusion ▁and ▁avoid ▁a ▁r ift ▁within ▁the ▁party ▁However ▁the ▁S aj ith ▁fa ction ▁gained ▁strong ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁fellow ▁party ▁members ▁through ▁another ▁two ▁successful ▁r al lies ▁in ▁Mat ara , ▁Kur un eg ala ▁Mat ug ama . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁Got ab aya ▁Raj ap ak sa ▁who ▁campaign ed ▁on ▁a ▁pro - n ational istic , ▁economic ▁development ▁and ▁national ▁security ▁platform ▁in ▁which ▁Raj ap ak sa ▁gained ▁ 6 , 9 2 4 , 2 5 5 ▁votes , ▁which ▁was ▁ 5 2 . 2 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁c ased ▁votes ▁and ▁ 1 , 3 6 0 , 0 1 6 ▁votes ▁majority ▁over ▁Prem adas a ▁who ▁gained ▁ 4 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁c ased ▁votes . ▁Raj ap ak sa ▁won ▁a ▁majority ▁in ▁the ▁pre domin ant ▁Sin hal ese ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁island ▁which ▁included ▁the ▁districts ▁of ▁Kal