Chandra Gunasekera

{{Short description|Sri Lankan politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = Hon.

| name = Chandra Gunasekera

| image =

| imagesize = 150px

| order =

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| constituency_MP = Kottawa

| parliament = Sri Lanka

| majority =

| term_start = June 1970

| term_end = 1977

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1922|06|10|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sri Lanka

| death_date = pre-2006

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| nationality = Sri Lankan

| party = Lanka Sama Samaja Party

| occupation = Politics

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| alma_mater = Nalanda College Colombo

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}}

Handapangoda Mudalige Chandrapala Gunasekera (known as Chandra Gunasekera) (10 June 1922 – before 2006) was a Sri Lankan politician who served as a Member of Parliament.{{cite web|url=http://parliament.lk/en/members-of-parliament/directory-of-past-members/viewMember/2274 |title=Gunasekera, Handapangoda Mudalige Chandrapala, M.P. |publisher=Parliament of Sri Lanka |work=Directory of Past Members |access-date=6 March 2015}} He was the Deputy Minister of Culture and Social Services.{{cite web |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2009/12/13/imp04.asp |title=Sri Lanka News |publisher=Sundayobserver.lk |access-date=2015-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402130348/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=%2F2009%2F12%2F13%2Fimp04.asp |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=live }}

Gunasekera first contested for a parliamentary seat at the 1st parliamentary election, held between August and September 1947, in the Attangalla electorate, representing the Lanka Sama Samaja Party. He was beaten by the United National Party candidate, Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike, 31,463 votes to 4,609 votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1947%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209231847/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1947%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-12-09 |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1947 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka }}

At the 6th parliamentary election, held on 22 March 1965, Gunasekera ran in the Kottawa electorate. He failed to get elected and was defeated by the United National Party candidate, Mahabalage Don Henry Jayawardena, by 2060 votes. Gunasekera received 13,911 votes (36% of the total vote).{{cite web |url=https://elections.gov.lk/web/wp-content/uploads/election-results/parliamentary-elections/general-election-1965.pdf |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1965 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka }}

He was successful in winning the seat at the subsequent 7th parliamentary election, held on 27 May 1970, defeating Jayawardena by 11,495, securing 61% of the total vote.{{cite web |url=https://elections.gov.lk/web/wp-content/uploads/election-results/parliamentary-elections/general-election-1970.pdf |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1970 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka }}

Prior to the 1977 Sri Lankan parliamentary elections the Kottawa electorate was replaced by the Colombo East Electoral District, Gunasekera contested the seat of Attangalla, where he challenged the sitting member and Prime Minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike. He came third in the electoral race, 29,159 votes behind Bandaranaike and 18,496 votes behind the United National Party candidate, A. W. G. Seneviratne, only securing 2% of the total vote.{{cite web|url=https://elections.gov.lk/web/wp-content/uploads/election-results/parliamentary-elections/general-election-1977.pdf |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1977 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka }}

The Lanka Sama Samaja Party was the first Marxist party in Sri Lanka. He was educated at Nalanda College Colombo.{{cite web |url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20040215/issues-2.htm |title=The Sunday Leader Online - Issues |publisher=Thesundayleader.lk |access-date=2015-03-06 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003006/http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20040215/issues-2.htm |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/23/fea11.asp |title=Features | Sundayobserver.lk - Sri Lanka |publisher=Sundayobserver.lk |date=2008-11-23 |access-date=2015-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402141211/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/11/23/fea11.asp |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2005/09/25/fea18.html |title=Online edition of Sunday Observer - Features |publisher=Sundayobserver.lk |access-date=2015-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924121005/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2005/09/25/fea18.html |archive-date=2015-09-24 |url-status=live }}

Gunasekera died prior to 2006.{{cite news |last1=Samaranayake |first1=Ajith |title=The Incomparable Orator |url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2006/07/02/fea05.asp |access-date=24 May 2022 |publisher=Sunday Observer |date=2 July 2006}}