3 candidates race for the President's seat in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa withdrew from Tuesday's presidential election in favour of a ruling party dissident.

Just before the formal opening of the nominations, Premadasa tweeted that "for the greater good of my country that I love and the people I cherish", his party will support former media minister Dullas Alahapperuma to replace former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who fled the country amid mass protest over the economic crisis in the country and resigned from his post, AFP reported.

To replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa, three candidates were nominated on Tuesday as presidential candidates.

Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, former education minister Dullas Alahapperuma backed by the main opposition and left-wing leader Anura Dissanayake will face off in a secret ballot on Wednesday, parliament said.