▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁He ▁cont ested ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁President ial ▁E lection ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁as ▁the ▁President ial ▁C andid ate ▁from ▁United ▁National ▁Front , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁pol led ▁second . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁opposition , ▁and ▁act ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Constitution al ▁Council ▁( S ri ▁L anka ). ▁As ▁of ▁January ▁ 3 0 th , ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁he ▁is ▁the ▁newly ▁appointed ▁leader ▁( h ence ▁Prime ▁Minister ial ▁candidate ) ▁to ▁head ▁a ▁new ▁UN P ▁lead ▁al liance . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁S aj ith ▁Prem adas a ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁in ▁Col om bo , ▁to ▁Ran asing he ▁Prem adas a , ▁who ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁Minister ▁of ▁Broadcast ing ▁and ▁a ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁from ▁the ▁Col om bo ▁District ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁H ema ▁Prem adas a . ▁He ▁had ▁one ▁sister , ▁D ul an j ali ▁Prem adas a . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁having ▁served ▁as ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁ ▁S aj ith ▁having ▁sch oo led ▁at ▁St ▁Thomas ▁Pre par atory ▁College ▁and ▁Royal ▁College , ▁he ▁sat ▁for ▁his ▁ordinary ▁( O