The Sri Lankan Parliament on Wednesday began voting to elect the successor to Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a three-way presidential contest, following a high-voltage political drama which saw the former president fleeing the country and resigning after a popular uprising against his government for mismanaging the economy. The voting by secret ballot is taking place amidst tight security in the wake of the simmering tensions in the island nation triggered by the unprecedented economic and political crisis. Ating President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Dullas Alahapperuma, a dissident ruling party MP backed by the main opposition, and leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake were proposed by lawmakers on Tuesday as the three candidates for the presidential election. A candidate has to cross the magical figure of 113 in the 225-member House to win the election. Alahapperuma’s name was proposed by the Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa and Member of Parliament G L Peiris seconded it. Wickremesinghe’s name was proposed by the Leader of the House and minister Dinesh Gunawardena and MP Manusha Nanayakkara seconded it. Dissanayake’s name was proposed by MP Vijitha Herath and MP Harini Amarasuriya seconded it.