Sri Lanka's Parliament said on Tuesday that three candidates have been nominated to replace former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country last week.
Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe will face former education minister Dullas Alahapperuma, who has the backing of the main opposition, and leftist leader Anura Dissanayake in a secret ballot on Wednesday.
The three were formally nominated by legislators in a session that lasted less than 10 minutes at the tightly guarded Parliament building, AFP reported.
The winner will take charge of a bankrupt country that is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout, as its 22 million people endure severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine.
Mr Rajapaksa flew to the Maldives and then to Singapore last week and resigned over Sri Lanka's worsening economic crisis.
Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa pulled out of the race in favour of Mr Alahapperuma, a dissident member of Mr Rajapaksa's SLPP party.
Mr Wickremesinghe, 73, a veteran political operator and six-time prime minister, has the formal backing of the leadership of the SLPP, which remains the largest party in the 225-member Parliament.
Mr Dissanayake, 53, is the leader of the leftist group JVP, or People's Liberation Front, which has three seats in Parliament.
The new leader will be in office for the remainder of Mr Rajapaksa's term, which runs until November 2024.
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Security personnel stand guard after a raid on an anti-government protest camp in Colombo early on Friday, amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis. Reuters -
Anti-government protesters speak with members of Sri Lankan security forces. AFP -
A policeman walks past slogans against the newly elected Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickramasinghe in Colombo. AFP -
Ranil Wickremesinghe is sworn in as the new president of Sri Lanka by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya. Reuters -
Mr Wickremesinghe, centre, arrives at his swearing-in ceremony in Colombo. EPA -
Ranil Wickremesinghe leaves a Buddhist temple in Colombo after he was named as Sri Lanka's eighth executive president. Reuters -
Sri Lankans protest after Mr Wickremesinghe defeated Dullas Alahapperuma, a member of the breakaway faction of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party, by 134 votes to 82 in a parliamentary vote to pick the next president. Getty -
Dinesh Gunawardena, centre, leader of the House of Parliament, arrives at Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. Getty -
Soldiers stand guard at the Presidential Secretariat after Mr Wickremesinghe was announced as Sri Lanka's new president. Getty -
Protesters watch a live broadcast of the parliamentary vote to pick Sri Lanka's new president. EPA -
A screen grab of Mr Wickremesinghe, bottom left, during the vote count announcement in Sri Lanka's Parliament. AFP -
Mr Alahapperuma, bottom right, during the parliamentary vote in Colombo. AFP -
A supporter celebrates in Colombo after Mr Wickremesinghe was elected as president. Reuters -
Mr Wickremesinghe's supporters celebrate in the capital after his election as Sri Lankan president. Getty -
Sri Lankans protest after the announcement of Mr Wickremesinghe as president. Getty -
Demonstrators watch a public screen as voting begins in Sri Lanka's Parliament. Reuters -
Protesters in Colombo demand Mr Wickremesinghe's resignation as prime minister and acting president before the parliamentary vote. AP -
Demonstrators carry an effigy of Mr Wickremesinghe. AFP -
Demonstrators take part in a procession against Mr Wickremesinghe. AFP -
Demonstrators shout slogans. AFP -
Sri Lankan demonstrators take part in a celebration in Colombo to mark the 100th day of protests. AFP -
After months of street protests, Sri Lanka’s parliament will elect a new president to replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday. AFP -
The country faces its worst economic crisis in decades due to the lack of foreign reserves, resulting in severe shortages of food, fuel, medicines and imported goods. Getty -
Soldiers lower the national flag at Galle Face Green in Colombo. Getty -
A demonstrator writes a slogan against acting president Ranil Wickremesinghe. AFP -
Mr Wickremesinghe is a top contender in the race to succeed Mr Rajapaksa. AFP -
People light candles in the capital in memory of protesters killed or wounded since the demonstrations began. EPA -
Police officers stand guard outside Parliament in Colombo. Reuters -
The vandalised office of the Sri Lankan president inside his official residence in the capital. Getty -
Police officials gather evidence at the president’s official residence after it was overrun by anti-government protesters on July 9. AFP -
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, right, is sworn in as acting president by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya in Colombo. EPA -
Parliamentary Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena addresses the media in Colombo. AFP -
People dance in Colombo as they celebrate the resignation of Mr Rajapaksa amid the country’s economic crisis. Reuters -
Demonstrators cheer after hearing news that Mr Rajapaksa had emailed his letter of resignation after fleeing months of anti-government protests. Bloomberg -
Members of the media wait outside the VIP complex of Changi International Airport in Singapore for the arrival of Mr Rajapaksa, his wife and two bodyguards. Sri Lanka's president left the Maldives on July 14 aboard a Saudia Airlines plane bound for Singapore. AFP -
A Saudia Airlines plane believed to be carrying Mr Rajapaksa arrives on the tarmac at Changi Airport in Singapore. EPA -
Police officers walk outside Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office, a day after thousands of anti-government protesters stormed the building, when he was named acting president. AFP -
A Saudia airline Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for Singapore and carrying Sri Lanka's fleeing president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his wife and bodyguards prepares to take off at the Velana International airport, in the Maldives. AFP -
Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard near the parliament building in Colombo, a day after thousands of anti-government protesters stormed the prime minister's office. AFP -
A soldier walks past a demonstrator sitting in a meeting room, at the prime minister's offices. AFP -
Soldiers patrol the buildings of the prime minister's office. AFP -
Troops make their way to an anti-government protest at the prime minister's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Bloomberg -
Demonstrators takes pictures inside the complex housing the Sri Lankan prime minister's offices. AFP -
An injured protester lies in an ambulance after clashes with police near parliament in Colombo. AP -
People wait to enter the presidential palace in Colombo, Sri Lanka. AP -
Protesters in Colombo hold Sri Lankan flags as they stand on top of the office of acting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, amid the country's economic crisis. Reuters -
Protesters demand the resignation of Mr Wickremasinghe. Bloomberg -
Police officers stand guard in Colombo. Reuters -
Police fire tear gas to control the crowds. Reuters -
A protester pours water on a man as tensions soar. Reuters -
Protesters throw teargas shells. AP Photo -
Protesters storm Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka and demand his resignation, after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the economic and political crisis for the Maldives. AP -
Police use tear gas to disperse Sri Lankan protesters outside the prime minister's office. AP -
A protester sleeps on vandalised furniture inside the presidential palace in Colombo, which has been occupied by demonstrators for days. Getty Images -
A satellite image shows people gathered outside Sri Lanka's Parliament building in Colombo amid the country's economic and political crisis. AFP -
Youths play carrom inside the Sri Lankan prime minister's official residence, which was stormed by protesters at the weekend. Reuters -
People sit on a couch inside the prime minister's official residence. The protests against the government have simmered since May, but erupted again last Saturday. Reuters -
Army cadets march past people queuing to get inside Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's official residence in Colombo. AFP -
People visit Mr Rajapaksa's official residence in Colombo. It was reported on Wednesday that he had fled the country for the Maldives. AFP -
A man takes a selfie at the presidential palace. AP -
Sri Lankans line up to take a look inside the presidential palace in Colombo. EPA -
Crowds flock to take in the presidential palace. EPA -
A man takes a rest inside the prime minister's official residence in Colombo. EPA -
People sing songs inside the prime minister's official residence. EPA -
Protesters erect a banner on the presidential palace three days after it was stormed by anti-government demonstrators in Colombo. AP -
People wait in a queue to collect gas at a distribution point in Colombo. AFP -
Sri Lankans quarrel as they wait for gas at a distribution point. AFP -
A driver of an autorickshaw sleeps inside his vehicle while waiting in a queue to buy petrol at a fuel station in Colombo. AP
Students and other groups plan to protest on Tuesday against Mr Wickremesinghe's bid.
Meanwhile, Mr Wickremesinghe told CNN that he aimed to stabilise the island nation's devastated economy by the end of next year.
He also accused Mr Rajapaksa's government of covering up facts.
Sri Lanka has almost concluded negotiations with the IMF, Mr Wickremesinghe's office said, following last week's declaration of a state of emergency.
The country's leaders have imposed a state of emergency several times since April, when public protests took hold against the government's handling of the economic crisis and a shortage of essential items.
Previous emergency regulations have been used to send the military to arrest and detain people, search private property and curb public protests.
Sri Lanka has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and tax cuts by the Rajapaksa government.
The tea-growing nation is in the midst of its worst economic crisis since it won independence from Britain in 1948.
Inflation of more than 50 per cent and shortages of food, fuel and medicines have brought thousands onto the streets in months of protests that culminated in Rajapaksa's ouster and forced the country to seek help from overseas.
India is willing to make more investments in Sri Lanka after supporting it with $3.8 billion this year, New Delhi's envoy in Colombo told The Indian Express newspaper.
"The idea is to respond to Sri Lanka's requests for enabling them to meet their foreign exchange crisis," said Gopal Baglay, India's high commissioner in Sri Lanka.
"We would like to continue to bring more investment into Sri Lanka because that will help create medium and long-term capacity to respond within the Sri Lankan economy."
Sri Lanka has also sought assistance from its fourth-biggest lender and India's rival, China.
A sudden surge of refugees fleeing political and economic meltdown in Sri Lanka has prompted a meeting of leading politicians in India.
The external affairs and finance ministers were due to chair a cross-party meeting on Tuesday to discuss the fallout from the Sri Lankan crisis and ways in which India can help, after significant numbers of refugees poured into the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
