18 Facts About Dullas Alahapperuma

Dullas Daham Kumara Alahapperuma was born on 14 May 1959 and is a Sri Lankan politician and founder and current leader of the Freedom People's Congress.

Dullas Alahapperuma was born on 14 May 1959 in Dikwella, Matara to Carolis and Aslin Dullas Alahapperuma, who were principals of local schools.

Dullas Alahapperuma received his primary and secondary education at St Servatius' College and Ananda College.

Dullas Alahapperuma studied Political Science at the University of Iowa, for one and half years, but did not complete the degree.

Dullas Alahapperuma started his career as a journalist, working at Lakmina before joining Divaina as an editor.

Dullas Alahapperuma entered Parliament for the first time in 1994 after topping the Matara preferential vote as a People's Alliance candidate with 76,678 votes.

Dullas Alahapperuma got re-elected in 2000 and served in the short tenure of the 11th Parliament.

Dullas Alahapperuma surprisingly decided not to contest the 2001 General Election.

Dullas Alahapperuma said he was 'too white' to be in the parliament referring to corruption.

Dullas Alahapperuma was elected to Sri Lanka's 13th Parliament as a UPFA national list MP on 19 December 2005, winning by-polls on a seat that had fallen vacant following the assassination of then Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Dullas Alahapperuma was appointed the Minister of Transport in 2007.

Dullas Alahapperuma re-entered Parliament in 2010 as a national list MP representing UPFA following the 2010 General Election and was appointed Minister of Youth Affairs.

Dullas Alahapperuma voted in favour of the Eighteenth Amendment which gave the Executive President a wide range of powers including removing the term limit for re-election.

Dullas Alahapperuma contested the 2015 General Election as a UPFA candidate from Matara district and received 105,406 votes to enter Parliament.

Dullas Alahapperuma contested the 2020 General Election as a SLPP candidate from the Matara district and received 103,534 votes to enter Parliament.

Dullas Alahapperuma voted in favour of Twentieth Amendment which repealed 19th Amendment and restored more powers to the Executive President.

Dullas Alahapperuma resigned from his cabinet portfolio in April 2022 as the 2022 Sri Lankan political crisis deepened amid civil protests.

Two days later, Dullas Alahapperuma's faction launched a new political party, the Freedom People's Congress.