The Election Tricycle

Sri Lanka's Realignment: has AKD changed the political power balance of South Asia?

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Episode notes

This week we're turning our attention (with Tom off to Liverpool for the Labour party's first conference in power) to Sri Lanka. Raisa Wickrematunge, deputy editor of Himal Southasian magazine, joins Rohan and Emily to discuss this month's election and how Anura Kumara Dissanayake (aka AKD) has re-aligned Sir Lanka's political compass. What has happened to the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to allow this outsider to romp home? And what should global politics watchers make of his party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, whose symbol is a hammer and sickle? For this, and more, hop on the Political Cycle as we take a trip to South Asia.


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Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:


  • https://forward.com/opinion/655944/mark-robinson-dropping-out-north-carolina/
  • https://scroll.in/article/1073452/modi-leads-adani-follows-is-indias-diplomacy-in-lockstep-with-a-private-firms-global-expansion
  • https://www.himalmag.com/politics/president-election-2024-jvp-npp-unp-sjb-wickremesinghe-rajapaksa-dissanayake
  • https://www.himalmag.com/politics/sri-lanka-ranil-wickremesinghe-mahinda-gotabaya-rajapaksa-politics-economy-crisis-2024-election


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The Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.

It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.

Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.

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