Jagath Balasuriya

Jagath Balasuriya (born November 21, 1940 ) is a Sri Lankan politician of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA).

Life

Balasuriya ran in the 1977 election in the Galigamuwa constituency for the first time for a seat in parliament , but suffered an electoral defeat. In 1979 he became mayor of Kegalle and was later a member of the provincial council of Sabaragamuwa province until 1989, as well as being the opposition leader there . In the 1989 election he was elected member of parliament and represented the constituency of Kegalle until the election on October 10, 2000 . On August 27, 2003, he replaced GMS Samaraweera as governor of the North Central Province and held this office until November 13, 2006, when Karunarathna Divulgane succeeded him. After the death of Monty Gopallawa on September 26, 2005, he also acted as acting governor of the central province until he was replaced by Tikiri Kobbekaduwa on December 16, 2005 .

In the election on April 8 and 20, 2010 , Balasuriya was re-elected as a member of parliament, which he now holds until the August 17, 2015 election . He was Minister for National Heritage in the government of Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne from April 2010 to January 2015 .

Balasuriya is married to Kumari Balasuriya , who was Governor of the Southern Province between 2006 and 2015 .