Sri Lanka on Saturday (Sept 21) is voting in the presidential election to choose the country's 10th president. The new president would face the task of bolstering the South Asian country's fragile economic recovery following its worst financial crisis in decades.

Sri Lanka on Saturday (Sept 21) is voting in the presidential election to choose the country's 10th president. The new president would face the task of bolstering the South Asian country's fragile economic recovery following its worst financial crisis in decades. More than 17 million of Sri Lanka's 22 million people are eligible to vote in the election. Voting began at 7 am local time and would go on till 4 pm. Over 13,000 polling stations have been set up across the country and 250,000 public officials are deployed to manage the election, R.M.L. Rathnayake, the head of Sri Lanka's election commission, told the news agency Reuters. The top contenders This time, the top candidates for the president's post are- current President Ranil Wickremesinghe, main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), and Marxist-leaning challenger Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), who led in one recent opinion poll. Click here to follow all updates on Sri Lanka polls This is the first election since Sri Lanka's economy buckled in 2022 under a severe foreign exchange shortage, leaving the Indian Ocean island nation unable to pay for imports of essentials including fuel, medicine and cooking gas. Thousands of protesters marched in Colombo in 2022 and occupied the president's office and residence, forcing then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee and later resign. Buttressed by a $2.9 billion bailout programme from the International Monetary Fund, Sri Lanka's economy has posted a tentative recovery but the high cost of living remains a core issue for many voters. Reuters reported that whoever wins the election would have to ensure Sri Lanka sticks with the IMF programme until 2027 to get its economy on a stable growth path. Why does the election matter for India? Given the uncertainty of the results of the presidential election in Sri Lanka, India has embraced a wait-and-watch approach. A recent report by ORF said that New Delhi saw the election as purely domestic and was willing to work with any incoming government, including the JVP despite its radical call for reforms and anti-Indian nationalist ideology in the past. "As a result, the Indian External Affairs Minister and the National Security Advisor have met main political leaders across party lines in recent months. It is this calculated approach and the goodwill generated by the US$4 billion assistance that India has not been subject to the anti-India rhetoric that is usually seen during the elections," the report said. Also watch | Sri Lankans vote in first election after 2022 economic crisis × "Nonetheless, in private, the goodwill generated by India is a subject of intense debate, especially in the civil society which is still disenchanted with their political class. Many express gratitude towards Indian assistance and believe Sri Lanka should connect and integrate better with India to expedite their recovery and enhance economic growth," the report added. It is also important to note that the minority Tamil community in Sri Lanka holds strong bonds with the Indian state of Tamil Nadu across the ocean. (With inputs from agencies)

Sri Lanka votes in presidential election: Why do these polls matter for India?

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka began a fresh austerity drive as the country aims to reduce its expenses and secure the IMF bailout. Now Colombo has temporarily frozen all government recruitments as new taxes and high electricity prices kicked in this week.

Sri Lanka works towards securing IMF bailout, freezes recruitment in fresh austerity drive

Mahinda Rajapaksa has won an absolute majority in Sri Lanka's parliamentary polls. The Rajapaksa brothers are likely to bring about sweeping changes in Sri Lanka. What does this mean for India? WION's Palki Sharma has the details.

Gravitas: Mahinda Rajapaksa sweeps Sri Lankan polls | What does it mean for India?

Mahinda Rajapaksa will be sworn in as Sri Lanka's Prime Minister for the fourth time on Sunday after his party registered a landslide victory in the general election, securing two-thirds majority in Parliament needed to amend the Constitution to further consolidate the powerful Rajapaksa family's grip on power.

The Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP), led by prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, won in 145 constituencies, bagging a total of 150 seats with its allies, a two-thirds majority in the 225-member Parliament, according to the results announced by the election commission on Friday. It won all but four of the 22 electoral districts on offer, polling 6.8 million votes (59.9 per cent).

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-the-rajapaksa-dynasty-patriarch-terminator-mr-ten-percent-bodyguard-and-scion-318857" hreflang="en">Meet the Rajapaksa dynasty: Patriarch, 'Terminator', 'Mr Ten Percent', 'bodyguard' and scion</a>

For Sri Lanka, this absolute majority means an absolutely powerful Rajapaksa brothers with Mahinda Rajapaksa as the prime minister&nbsp;and Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the&nbsp;president.

They will go ahead and usher in sweeping changes like making amendments in the&nbsp;constitution, waiving off&nbsp;president's term. This also means&nbsp;tighter control over the police force and the judiciary.

Going forward, the Rajapaksa's will control the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. However,&nbsp;a strong Rajapaksa duo means&nbsp;means balance and a more India-friendly Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Mahinda on the outcome of the elections and said the two sides will work together to further advance all areas of bilateral cooperation and to take their special ties to ever newer heights.

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Thank you, Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/PresRajapaksa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PresRajapaksa</a>! It was a pleasure to speak to you. Once again, many congratulations. We will work together to further advance all areas of bilateral cooperation and to take our special ties to ever newer heights. <a href="https://t.co/123ahoxlMo">https://t.co/123ahoxlMo</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1291395378563231745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Thank you PM @narendramodi for your congratulatory phone call. With the strong support of the people of #SriLanka, I look forward to working with you closely to further enhance the long-standing cooperation between our two countries. Sri Lanka &amp; India are friends &amp; relations," Mahinda tweeted.

Last November,&nbsp;India's external Jaishankar flew down to Colombo to wish Gotabaya right after his presidential win and he visited India 10 days after his election. This sense of prioritisation hints at strengthening of bilaternal ties.&nbsp;

Last year, the bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to 4.59 billion dollars. India is Sri Lanka's largest trading partner and&nbsp;also one of the largest contributors to FDI&nbsp;In Sri Lanka.

Colombo needs India not just for trade, but also for security, for counter-terrorism. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the defence minister during Sri Lankan civil war because of which he understands India's importance.&nbsp;

India too benefits from a good bilateral relation with Sri Lanka and it needs to be in Colombo's good books more than ever.&nbsp;It is mainly because of three reasons:&nbsp;to balance a China-leaning neighbourhood, it plays&nbsp;an important part in India's ambitious ramayana circuit, and&nbsp;India cannot ignore the people-to-people relations between Colombo and New Delhi.

The southern belt of India is sentimentally attached to Sri Lankan Tamils.&nbsp;There are more than 22 lakh people in Sri Lanka who speak Tamil.&nbsp;The north and eastern belt of the country closely relate to India.&nbsp;

Therefore, the results of the Sri Lankan polls are an opportunity for India.

Mahinda Rajapaksa will be sworn in as Sri Lanka's Prime Minister for the fourth time on Sunday after his party registered a landslide victory in the general election, securing two-thirds majority in Parliament needed to amend the Constitution to further consolidate the powerful Rajapaksa family's grip on power.

Mahinda Rajapaksa will be sworn in as Sri Lanka's Prime Minister for the fourth time on Sunday after his party registered a landslide victory in the general election, securing two-thirds majority in Parliament needed to amend the Constitution to further consolidate the powerful Rajapaksa family's grip on power. The Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP), led by prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, won in 145 constituencies, bagging a total of 150 seats with its allies, a two-thirds majority in the 225-member Parliament, according to the results announced by the election commission on Friday. It won all but four of the 22 electoral districts on offer, polling 6.8 million votes (59.9 per cent). Also see: Meet the Rajapaksa dynasty: Patriarch, 'Terminator', 'Mr Ten Percent', 'bodyguard' and scion For Sri Lanka, this absolute majority means an absolutely powerful Rajapaksa brothers with Mahinda Rajapaksa as the prime minister and Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the president. They will go ahead and usher in sweeping changes like making amendments in the constitution, waiving off president's term. This also means tighter control over the police force and the judiciary. Going forward, the Rajapaksa's will control the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. However, a strong Rajapaksa duo means means balance and a more India-friendly Sri Lanka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Mahinda on the outcome of the elections and said the two sides will work together to further advance all areas of bilateral cooperation and to take their special ties to ever newer heights. Thank you, Prime Minister @PresRajapaksa! It was a pleasure to speak to you. Once again, many congratulations. We will work together to further advance all areas of bilateral cooperation and to take our special ties to ever newer heights. https://t.co/123ahoxlMo — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2020 × "Thank you PM @narendramodi for your congratulatory phone call. With the strong support of the people of #SriLanka, I look forward to working with you closely to further enhance the long-standing cooperation between our two countries. Sri Lanka & India are friends & relations," Mahinda tweeted. Last November, India's external Jaishankar flew down to Colombo to wish Gotabaya right after his presidential win and he visited India 10 days after his election. This sense of prioritisation hints at strengthening of bilaternal ties. Last year, the bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to 4.59 billion dollars. India is Sri Lanka's largest trading partner and also one of the largest contributors to FDI In Sri Lanka. Colombo needs India not just for trade, but also for security, for counter-terrorism. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the defence minister during Sri Lankan civil war because of which he understands India's importance. India too benefits from a good bilateral relation with Sri Lanka and it needs to be in Colombo's good books more than ever. It is mainly because of three reasons: to balance a China-leaning neighbourhood, it plays an important part in India's ambitious ramayana circuit, and India cannot ignore the people-to-people relations between Colombo and New Delhi. The southern belt of India is sentimentally attached to Sri Lankan Tamils. There are more than 22 lakh people in Sri Lanka who speak Tamil. The north and eastern belt of the country closely relate to India. Therefore, the results of the Sri Lankan polls are an opportunity for India.

What does the result of Sri Lankan election mean for India

Sri Lanka's strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa staged a political comeback on Friday as his party registered a landslide victory in the twice-postponed general elections, according to the final results released by the elections commission.

Your Story: Rajapaksas now authorized to amend the constitution, Two-third majority in 2020 polls

SLPP registers landslide victory in Sri Lanka's parliamentary polls

Sri Lanka's strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa staged a political comeback on Friday as his party registered a landslide victory in the twice-postponed general elections, according to the final results released by the elections commission.

The official results declared showed that the Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) alone had won 145 seats and with its allies have 150 seats, a two thirds majority in the 225-member parliament.

The party led by the prime minister won all but 4 of the 22 electoral districts on offer. The victory margins in the South, dominated by the majority Sinhala community, were in the high 60 per cent mark in most areas. The party polled 6.8 million votes at 59.9 per cent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Rajapaksa on the outcome of the elections and said the two sides will work together to further advance all areas of bilateral cooperation and to take their special ties to ever newer heights.

"Thank you PM @narendramodi for your congratulatory phone call. With the strong support of the people of #SriLanka, I look forward to working with you closely to further enhance the long-standing cooperation between our two countries. Sri Lanka &amp; India are friends &amp; relations," Rajapaksa tweeted.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who won the November presidential election on the SLPP ticket, had called a snap election six months ahead of the schedule.

In the parliamentary election, he was seeking 150 seats mandatory to execute constitutional changes in the main to repeal the 19th amendment to the Constitution which had curbed presidential powers while strengthening the role of parliament.

The biggest casualty from the result was the United National Party (UNP) of former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The UNP managed to win only one seat and that too came thanks to the cumulative votes polled nationally. The country's grandest political party failed to win a single seat from any of the 22 districts.

Its leader and a four-time prime minister was unseated for the first time since he entered parliament in 1977. Wickremesinghe failed to win from Colombo district as his party finished fourth in most constituencies.

The UNP only polled 249,435 votes or just 2 per cent of the vote and was relegated to the fifth position nationally.

Wickremesinghe's former deputy and the presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa, who had broken away from the UNP to form his own party SJB, has done well by winning 55 seats with its main Muslim party ally bagging it the solitary district win in the eastern port district of Trincomalee.

The SJB polled 2.7 million or 23 per cent and has emerged the second largest party., according to the results.

The main Tamil party TNA did not fare too well as their parliamentary representation saw a reduction for a total of 10 seats from the 16 it had won the last time.

The party managed to win three districts in the Tamil-dominated North and polled 327,168 votes or 2.82 per cent, the results showed.

The Marxist JVP despite winning only 3 seats from their 6 in the previous election retained its position as the third force in the country by pushing the former ruling party UNP to the fourth and in many areas to even fifth and sixth places.

They polled 445,958 or 3.84 per cent of the total vote.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on March 2 dissolved parliament, six months ahead of the schedule, and called for snap polls on April 25. However, the election commission in mid-April postponed the elections by nearly two months to June 20 due to the coronavirus outbreak in the island nation.

In June, the commission informed the apex court that the polls cannot be held on June 20 because of the coronavirus pandemic and the new date was decided following a unanimous decision reached between the members of the commission.

The election commission held several mock polls to put into practice health guidelines and even extended the poll time by one hour in view of the pandemic.

There are over 16 million eligible voters in the country. The August 5 poll will elect a 225-member parliament for a five-year term.

Sri Lanka's strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa staged a political comeback on Friday as his party registered a landslide victory in the twice-postponed general elections, according to the final results released by the elections commission. The official results declared showed that the Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) alone had won 145 seats and with its allies have 150 seats, a two thirds majority in the 225-member parliament. The party led by the prime minister won all but 4 of the 22 electoral districts on offer. The victory margins in the South, dominated by the majority Sinhala community, were in the high 60 per cent mark in most areas. The party polled 6.8 million votes at 59.9 per cent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Rajapaksa on the outcome of the elections and said the two sides will work together to further advance all areas of bilateral cooperation and to take their special ties to ever newer heights. "Thank you PM @narendramodi for your congratulatory phone call. With the strong support of the people of #SriLanka, I look forward to working with you closely to further enhance the long-standing cooperation between our two countries. Sri Lanka & India are friends & relations," Rajapaksa tweeted. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who won the November presidential election on the SLPP ticket, had called a snap election six months ahead of the schedule. In the parliamentary election, he was seeking 150 seats mandatory to execute constitutional changes in the main to repeal the 19th amendment to the Constitution which had curbed presidential powers while strengthening the role of parliament. The biggest casualty from the result was the United National Party (UNP) of former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The UNP managed to win only one seat and that too came thanks to the cumulative votes polled nationally. The country's grandest political party failed to win a single seat from any of the 22 districts. Its leader and a four-time prime minister was unseated for the first time since he entered parliament in 1977. Wickremesinghe failed to win from Colombo district as his party finished fourth in most constituencies. The UNP only polled 249,435 votes or just 2 per cent of the vote and was relegated to the fifth position nationally. Wickremesinghe's former deputy and the presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa, who had broken away from the UNP to form his own party SJB, has done well by winning 55 seats with its main Muslim party ally bagging it the solitary district win in the eastern port district of Trincomalee. The SJB polled 2.7 million or 23 per cent and has emerged the second largest party., according to the results. The main Tamil party TNA did not fare too well as their parliamentary representation saw a reduction for a total of 10 seats from the 16 it had won the last time. The party managed to win three districts in the Tamil-dominated North and polled 327,168 votes or 2.82 per cent, the results showed. The Marxist JVP despite winning only 3 seats from their 6 in the previous election retained its position as the third force in the country by pushing the former ruling party UNP to the fourth and in many areas to even fifth and sixth places. They polled 445,958 or 3.84 per cent of the total vote. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on March 2 dissolved parliament, six months ahead of the schedule, and called for snap polls on April 25. However, the election commission in mid-April postponed the elections by nearly two months to June 20 due to the coronavirus outbreak in the island nation. In June, the commission informed the apex court that the polls cannot be held on June 20 because of the coronavirus pandemic and the new date was decided following a unanimous decision reached between the members of the commission. The election commission held several mock polls to put into practice health guidelines and even extended the poll time by one hour in view of the pandemic. There are over 16 million eligible voters in the country. The August 5 poll will elect a 225-member parliament for a five-year term.

Mahinda Rajapaksa-led SLPP registers landslide victory in Sri Lanka's parliamentary polls

Sri Lanka: Rajapaksas to form the government again

Sri Lanka: Rajapaksas now authorized to amend the constitution

Sri Lanka: Rajapaksas return with a strong mandate

The counting of votes is underway in Sri Lanka after citizens streamed into polling stations on August 5. Nearly 71% of people cast their votes. Watch report.

Sri Lanka elections: Will Mahindra Rajapaksa become Prime Minister?

Sri Lanka elections: Advantage Rajapaksas in early rounds, Over 60% votes for SLPP in early rounds

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called and congratulated Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa for leading his party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to victory in parliamentary polls in the country.&nbsp;

Mahinda Rajapaksa took to Twitter and thanked Narendra&nbsp;Modi for his wishes. He said: "Thank you PM @narendramodi for your congratulatory phone call. With the strong support of the people of #SriLanka, I look forward to working with you closely to further enhance the long-standing cooperation between our two countries. Sri Lanka &amp; India are friends &amp; relations."

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Thank you PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> for your congratulatory phone call. With the strong support of the people of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SriLanka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SriLanka</a>, I look forward to working with you closely to further enhance the long-standing cooperation between our two countries. Sri Lanka &amp; India are friends &amp; relations. <a href="https://t.co/9YPLAQuVlE">pic.twitter.com/9YPLAQuVlE</a>
— Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresRajapaksa/status/1291387408856936449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Rajapaksa's party is set to achieve a landslide victory as the results are being declared in Sri Lanka.&nbsp;

Rajapaksa hopes to install his older brother Mahinda Rajapaksa - also a former President - as the next Prime Minister. The brothers are best known for crushing the Tamil Tiger rebels fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils during the elder Rajapaksa's presidency in 2009.

Early counting showed that the Rajapaksas, who have long championed the cause of the island's Sinhalese Buddhist majority, are on track to win 70 per cent of the vote in the Sinhalese-dominated south.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called and congratulated Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa for leading his party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to victory in parliamentary polls in the country.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called and congratulated Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa for leading his party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to victory in parliamentary polls in the country. Mahinda Rajapaksa took to Twitter and thanked Narendra Modi for his wishes. He said: "Thank you PM @narendramodi for your congratulatory phone call. With the strong support of the people of #SriLanka, I look forward to working with you closely to further enhance the long-standing cooperation between our two countries. Sri Lanka & India are friends & relations." Thank you PM @narendramodi for your congratulatory phone call. With the strong support of the people of #SriLanka, I look forward to working with you closely to further enhance the long-standing cooperation between our two countries. Sri Lanka & India are friends & relations. pic.twitter.com/9YPLAQuVlE — Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) August 6, 2020 × Rajapaksa's party is set to achieve a landslide victory as the results are being declared in Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa hopes to install his older brother Mahinda Rajapaksa - also a former President - as the next Prime Minister. The brothers are best known for crushing the Tamil Tiger rebels fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils during the elder Rajapaksa's presidency in 2009. Early counting showed that the Rajapaksas, who have long championed the cause of the island's Sinhalese Buddhist majority, are on track to win 70 per cent of the vote in the Sinhalese-dominated south.

Sri Lanka's front runner Mahinda Rajapaksa thanks PM Modi for congratulatory call

Polling for Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election concluded on Wednesday with a voter turnout of 71%. The results will be released on Thursday

SL Polls: Nearly 71% Sri Lankans turn out to vote | Rajapaksa brothers | South-Asia

Sri Lanka voted for a new Parliament today. The question is not who will win the polls, but whether Mahinda Rajapaksa will be able to secure a 2/3rd majority. WION's Palki Sharma tells you what this election means for Sri Lanka and India.

Gravitas: Understanding the Sri Lankan Parliamentary elections

Sri Lanka is the first South Asian nation to go to polls during the pandemic as the country voted for a new parliament today. The election could change the political dynamics of the island nation.

The Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa used his presidential powers to dissolve the parliament and called for snap polls.

70 per cent turn out was recorded against 77.66 recorded during the last parliamentary election.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa's party was a clear winner even before the polling booths opened as there was no compelling opposition.

The parties contesting against them are fractured. United National Party led by former prime minister Wickremesinghe and its breakaway group SJN s led by Sajith Premadasa. There are smaller parties like the Tamil National Alliance and the NPP.

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7,452 candidates from 54 political parties contested for 225 seats in the Lankan parliament.

The key issue in the polls is Wuhan virus pandemic took a lot of space. Mahinda Rajapaksa's party may have earned brownie points for the government's handling of the Wuhan virus. Sri Lanka has fared much better than its South Asian neighbours.

The total number of COVID-19 cases is 2,834 as of this evening. The ruling party SLPP asked voters for a 2/3rd majority as, the said, Lanka needs a strong government. A 2/3rd majority for Mahinda Rajapaksa could seal the fate of democracy. The Rajapaksa will repeal the 19th amendment which reduced the power of the president. This was back in 2015. If his party gets an absolute majority, it is likely to extend the term of the president. It would also give the president tighter control of the judiciary.

The result will be you will have the Rajapaksas controlling the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. This would spell an end to the checks and balances that democracies are based on. If Mahinda Rajapaksa gets a 2/3rd majority, those seeking justice against war crimes can forget about it.

As a former military leader, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is accused of war crimes during the civil war. His presidential team is full of present and former military leaders. They are also accused of war crimes. If the president controls the judiciary, he will elect judges to Lanka's top court and they are unlikely to bring military leaders to justice.

It is no secret that Sri Lanka is divided along ethnic and religious lines. There are the Sinhalese Buddhists and the Tamil minorities. The Buddhists are vote bank of the Rajapaksa brothers and account for 75% of the Lankan population. They support Gotabaya for his role in crushing the Tamil separatist movement LTTE. Gotabaya came to power by promising a more unified Sri Lanka. He has worked in the opposite direction since assuming power.

What does his victory mean for India?

A lot has been said about the Rajapaksa leaning towards China. Many of the Chinese infra projects began when Mahinda Rajapaksa was the president of Sri Lanka. He allowed two Chinese submarines to dock in Colombo in 2014.

However, going forward, the Rajapaksa brothers will try to strike a balance between India and China. India was the first country that Gotabaya visited after his victory in the presidential election. He has spoken highly of the Indian leadership.

The results will be out tomorrow.

Sri Lanka is the first South Asian nation to go to polls during the pandemic as the country voted for a new parliament today. The election could change the political dynamics of the island nation.

Sri Lanka is the first South Asian nation to go to polls during the pandemic as the country voted for a new parliament today. The election could change the political dynamics of the island nation. The Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa used his presidential powers to dissolve the parliament and called for snap polls. 70 per cent turn out was recorded against 77.66 recorded during the last parliamentary election. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's party was a clear winner even before the polling booths opened as there was no compelling opposition. The parties contesting against them are fractured. United National Party led by former prime minister Wickremesinghe and its breakaway group SJN s led by Sajith Premadasa. There are smaller parties like the Tamil National Alliance and the NPP. 7,452 candidates from 54 political parties contested for 225 seats in the Lankan parliament. The key issue in the polls is Wuhan virus pandemic took a lot of space. Mahinda Rajapaksa's party may have earned brownie points for the government's handling of the Wuhan virus. Sri Lanka has fared much better than its South Asian neighbours. The total number of COVID-19 cases is 2,834 as of this evening. The ruling party SLPP asked voters for a 2/3rd majority as, the said, Lanka needs a strong government. A 2/3rd majority for Mahinda Rajapaksa could seal the fate of democracy. The Rajapaksa will repeal the 19th amendment which reduced the power of the president. This was back in 2015. If his party gets an absolute majority, it is likely to extend the term of the president. It would also give the president tighter control of the judiciary. The result will be you will have the Rajapaksas controlling the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. This would spell an end to the checks and balances that democracies are based on. If Mahinda Rajapaksa gets a 2/3rd majority, those seeking justice against war crimes can forget about it. As a former military leader, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is accused of war crimes during the civil war. His presidential team is full of present and former military leaders. They are also accused of war crimes. If the president controls the judiciary, he will elect judges to Lanka's top court and they are unlikely to bring military leaders to justice. It is no secret that Sri Lanka is divided along ethnic and religious lines. There are the Sinhalese Buddhists and the Tamil minorities. The Buddhists are vote bank of the Rajapaksa brothers and account for 75% of the Lankan population. They support Gotabaya for his role in crushing the Tamil separatist movement LTTE. Gotabaya came to power by promising a more unified Sri Lanka. He has worked in the opposite direction since assuming power. What does his victory mean for India? A lot has been said about the Rajapaksa leaning towards China. Many of the Chinese infra projects began when Mahinda Rajapaksa was the president of Sri Lanka. He allowed two Chinese submarines to dock in Colombo in 2014. However, going forward, the Rajapaksa brothers will try to strike a balance between India and China. India was the first country that Gotabaya visited after his victory in the presidential election. He has spoken highly of the Indian leadership. The results will be out tomorrow.

Weak Opposition gives an edge to Rajapaksas in Sri Lankan polls

Polling has concluded in Sri Lanka. Polls were held under strict health guidelines on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch report.

Fineprint: Rajapaksas look to tighten grip on power, Sri Lanka polls voter turnout over 60%

Sri Lanka is prepared to hold the general elections on Wednesday to elect a 225 member parliament with strict health guidelines amidst the COVID-19 situation.

Why India is keeping a close watch on Sri Lanka Polls | India-Sri Lanka | South-Asia

Polling for the 2020 parliamentary election commenced in Sri Lanka Wednesday at 7 am in 12,985 polling stations across the country under strict health guidelines.

Sri Lanka elections: Rajapaksas aim for victory | Voting underway in Sri Lanka | WION

Polling begins for Sri Lanka parliamentary elections amid pandemic

Fineprint: Sri Lanka goes to polls tomorrow, Chinese influence in the election under scanner

Sri Lanka is prepared to hold the general elections on Wednesday to elect a 225 member parliament with strict health guidelines amidst COVID situation.

Sri Lanka all set to hold general elections tomorrow; Polls delayed twice by COVID-19

Sri Lanka's ruling party candidate Sajith Premadasa Sunday conceded the presidential poll on Sunday and congratulated his main rival, former wartime defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Sri Lanka's ruling party candidate Sajith Premadasa Sunday conceded the presidential poll on Sunday and congratulated his main rival, former wartime defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. "It is my privilege to honour the decision of the people and congratulate Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa on his election as the seventh President of Sri Lanka," Premadasa said. Premadasa's statement came as a spokesman for Rajapaksa claimed that the 70-year-old retired lieutenant colonel had won Saturday's vote before the final results were formally announced. Earlier Rajapaksa's spokesperson Keheliya Rambukwella said that they got between 53 to 54 per cent of the vote. The retired lieutenant colonel secured massive support in majority Sinhalese constituencies and had 52.87 per cent of the vote, according to early official results of Saturday's poll. (With inputs from, AFP)

Ruling party candidate Premadasa concedes Sri Lanka presidential poll to Rajapaksa

Sri Lanka's former wartime defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa was set to become president after his main rival conceded defeat on Sunday in an election that came months after bombings by Islamist militants threw the country into turmoil.

Sri Lanka's former wartime defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa was set to become president after his main rival conceded defeat on Sunday in an election that came months after bombings by Islamist militants threw the country into turmoil. Rajapaksa oversaw the military defeat of Tamil separatists under his brother and then president Mahinda Rajapaksa 10 years ago. He has promised strong leadership to secure the island of 22 million people, the majority of whom are Sinhalese Buddhists. Rajapaksa, 70, would be the latest nationalist leader swept to power across the world, tapping into the anger and fears of majority communities. He and his brothers, who are expected to get key positions, are also seen as closer to China, which has invested billions of dollars building ports, expressways and power stations. But these projects have also led to high debt levels for Sri Lanka. In his first comments, Rajapaksa struck a conciliatory note, suggesting he would be a leader of all Sri Lankans, regardless of their ethnic and religious identities. "As we usher in a new journey for Sri Lanka, we must remember that all Sri Lankans are part of this journey. Let us rejoice peacefully, with dignity and discipline in the same manner in which we campaigned," Rajapaksa said in a tweet. Tamil political parties are strongly opposed to Rajapaksa, who has faced allegations of widespread human rights violations of civilians in the final stages of the war against the separatists in 2009. Rajapaksa and his brother deny the allegations. Muslims, the other large minority group, say they too have faced hostility since the April attacks on hotels and churches in which more than 250 people were killed. Islamic State claimed responsibility. With half the votes counted from Saturday's election, Rajapaksa led with 50.7 percent, while his main rival Sajith Premadasa had 43.8 percent, the election commission said. Defeat Premadasa, a housing minister in the current government that has faced criticism for failing to protect Sri Lankans in the wake of the suicide bombings in April, conceded defeat. "At the conclusion of a hard fought and spirited election campaign, It is my privilege to honour the decision of the people and congratulate Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa on his election as the seventh President of Sri Lanka," Premadasa said. Millions voted to elect a new president to lead the country out of its deepest economic slump in over 15 years, dragged down by its tourism sector following the bombings. His victory margin showed huge support in the Sinhalese-dominated southern parts of the island. Premadasa, who campaigned on policies to help the poor, led in the north and east where minority Tamils are predominant. He urged Rajapaksa to ensure he took all Sri Lankans along and not target those who opposed him in the election. "I also urge Mr. Rajapaksa to ensure that the post-election environment is peaceful, and that no citizen or New Democratic Party supporter is persecuted or harmed for their role in supporting my candidacy," he said, referring to his party.

Sri Lanka strongman Rajapaksa set to become president after rival concedes defeat

Voting in Sri Lanka's presidential election concluded on Saturday with reportedly registering over&nbsp;80% voter turnout.&nbsp;

Some 85,000 police were on duty for the election with a record 35 candidates running for president, an office with considerable power similar to the French political system, with close to 16 million eligible voters.

Results could come as early as midday&nbsp;on Sunday if there is a clear winner.&nbsp;

Voting which began at 7 am in the morning&nbsp;ended at 5:00 pm.

One of the two frontrunners is grey-haired retired army lieutenant colonel Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 70, younger brother to the charismatic but controversial Mahinda Rajapaksa, president from 2005-15.

Dubbed the "Terminator" by his own family, "Gota" is promising an infrastructure blitz and better security in the wake of the Islamist attacks in April that killed 269 people.

"Gotabaya will protect our country," construction worker Wasantha Samarajjeew, 51, said as he cast his ballot in Colombo.

His main rival is Sajith Premadasa, 52, from the governing liberal United National Party (UNP), son of assassinated ex-president Ranasinghe Premadasa.

He is also pushing development and security as well as free sanitary pads for poor women, earning him the nickname "Padman" after a famous Bollywood movie.

The Rajapaksas are adored by Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority for defeating Tamil Tiger separatists and ending a 37-year civil war in 2009.

They are detested and feared by many Tamils, who make up 15 per cent of the population. The conflict ended with some 40,000 Tamil civilians allegedly killed by the army.

During Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency, Gotabaya was defence secretary and effectively ran the security forces, even allegedly overseeing "death squads" that bumped off political rivals, journalists and others.

He denies the allegations.

What also concerns Western countries, as well as India, is that strategically located Sri Lanka moved closer to China under Mahinda Rajapaksa, even allowing two Chinese submarines to dock in Colombo in 2014.

Under its Belt and Road Initiative spanning Asia and beyond, China loaned and granted Sri Lanka billions of dollars for infrastructure projects, many of which turned into white elephants and mired in corruption allegations.

Mahinda says credit was unavailable elsewhere.

Western capitals "should give a fair chance to us", Basil Rajapaksa, another brother, told reporters. "They can't be monitors of this country. They must be partners."

(With inputs from agencies)

Voting in Sri Lanka's presidential election concluded on Saturday with reportedly registering over 80% voter turnout. Some 85,000 police were on duty for the election with a record 35 candidates running for president, an office with considerable power similar to the French political system, with close to 16 million eligible voters.

Voting in Sri Lanka's presidential election concluded on Saturday with reportedly registering over 80% voter turnout. Some 85,000 police were on duty for the election with a record 35 candidates running for president, an office with considerable power similar to the French political system, with close to 16 million eligible voters. Results could come as early as midday on Sunday if there is a clear winner. Voting which began at 7 am in the morning ended at 5:00 pm. One of the two frontrunners is grey-haired retired army lieutenant colonel Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 70, younger brother to the charismatic but controversial Mahinda Rajapaksa, president from 2005-15. Dubbed the "Terminator" by his own family, "Gota" is promising an infrastructure blitz and better security in the wake of the Islamist attacks in April that killed 269 people. "Gotabaya will protect our country," construction worker Wasantha Samarajjeew, 51, said as he cast his ballot in Colombo. His main rival is Sajith Premadasa, 52, from the governing liberal United National Party (UNP), son of assassinated ex-president Ranasinghe Premadasa. He is also pushing development and security as well as free sanitary pads for poor women, earning him the nickname "Padman" after a famous Bollywood movie. The Rajapaksas are adored by Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority for defeating Tamil Tiger separatists and ending a 37-year civil war in 2009. They are detested and feared by many Tamils, who make up 15 per cent of the population. The conflict ended with some 40,000 Tamil civilians allegedly killed by the army. During Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency, Gotabaya was defence secretary and effectively ran the security forces, even allegedly overseeing "death squads" that bumped off political rivals, journalists and others. He denies the allegations. What also concerns Western countries, as well as India, is that strategically located Sri Lanka moved closer to China under Mahinda Rajapaksa, even allowing two Chinese submarines to dock in Colombo in 2014. Under its Belt and Road Initiative spanning Asia and beyond, China loaned and granted Sri Lanka billions of dollars for infrastructure projects, many of which turned into white elephants and mired in corruption allegations. Mahinda says credit was unavailable elsewhere. Western capitals "should give a fair chance to us", Basil Rajapaksa, another brother, told reporters. "They can't be monitors of this country. They must be partners." (With inputs from agencies)

Voting concludes in Sri Lanka president polls; result may come by Sunday afternoon

A look at Sri Lanka's rocky history leading up to presidential polls

Sri Lanka's ruling UNP has no intention to go for an early snap general election, a party spokesman said Friday, ending weeks of speculation that the government may dissolve parliament before the end of its term.

Ajith P Perera, a United National Party (UNP) spokesman, said no parliamentary election would be held before February 2020 when President Maithripala Sirisena could sack the assembly.

"We must make it very clear that the UNP has not expressed any willingness to dissolve parliament before its term ends," Perera said.

The decision is contrary to the expectations of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's new political party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

Buoyed by the excellent showing in the local council elections held in February, the SLPP leadership insists for an early election to gain control of the government.

They won over 70 per cent of the 300 plus local councils by thrashing both major parties of Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the UNP of prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Mano Ganesan, a government ally and a minister said the decision that the general election will be held only when they are due in August 2020 was taken at a high level meeting held last night.

"The President if he so wishes could call an early presidential election, but all other elections would be held on schedule," Ganesan said.

Sri Lanka faced a major constitutional and political crisis which lasted over 50 days after Sirisena took a controversial decision of sacking Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister to replace him with Rajapaksa in late October.

The Supreme Court court in a landmark ruling said that Sirisena's subsequent action to dismiss parliament and set a fresh parliamentary poll for January 5 was illegal.

He was then forced to restore Wickremesinghe in office as Rajapaksa was not able to prove his majority in parliament.

Rajapaksa's SLPP has been clamouring for an early poll which they claim would be the key to end the political crisis and an unstable government resulting due to the never-ending rift between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe.

"We challenge the prime minister to dissolve the assembly with two thirds majority to hold an early election. We will support that resolution," Rajapaksa's elder son and legislator Namal Rajapaksa said.

The SLPP and Sirisena now find fault with the 19th amendment to the Constitution which took away powers of the President to dissolve parliament at his wish.

As per the amendment, he cannot do so until parliament has seen off four and a half years of its term.

However, parliament could resolve with two thirds to dissolve the assembly to call a snap election.

Ajith P Perera, a United National Party (UNP) spokesman, said no parliamentary election would be held before February 2020 when President Maithripala Sirisena could sack the assembly.

Sri Lanka's ruling UNP has no intention to go for an early snap general election, a party spokesman said Friday, ending weeks of speculation that the government may dissolve parliament before the end of its term. Ajith P Perera, a United National Party (UNP) spokesman, said no parliamentary election would be held before February 2020 when President Maithripala Sirisena could sack the assembly. "We must make it very clear that the UNP has not expressed any willingness to dissolve parliament before its term ends," Perera said. The decision is contrary to the expectations of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's new political party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Buoyed by the excellent showing in the local council elections held in February, the SLPP leadership insists for an early election to gain control of the government. They won over 70 per cent of the 300 plus local councils by thrashing both major parties of Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the UNP of prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Mano Ganesan, a government ally and a minister said the decision that the general election will be held only when they are due in August 2020 was taken at a high level meeting held last night. "The President if he so wishes could call an early presidential election, but all other elections would be held on schedule," Ganesan said. Sri Lanka faced a major constitutional and political crisis which lasted over 50 days after Sirisena took a controversial decision of sacking Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister to replace him with Rajapaksa in late October. The Supreme Court court in a landmark ruling said that Sirisena's subsequent action to dismiss parliament and set a fresh parliamentary poll for January 5 was illegal. He was then forced to restore Wickremesinghe in office as Rajapaksa was not able to prove his majority in parliament. Rajapaksa's SLPP has been clamouring for an early poll which they claim would be the key to end the political crisis and an unstable government resulting due to the never-ending rift between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe. "We challenge the prime minister to dissolve the assembly with two thirds majority to hold an early election. We will support that resolution," Rajapaksa's elder son and legislator Namal Rajapaksa said. The SLPP and Sirisena now find fault with the 19th amendment to the Constitution which took away powers of the President to dissolve parliament at his wish. As per the amendment, he cannot do so until parliament has seen off four and a half years of its term. However, parliament could resolve with two thirds to dissolve the assembly to call a snap election.

Sri Lanka's ruling UNP rules out early snap poll

Former President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa is on a comeback trail. His newly formed Sri Lanka People&rsquo;s Party (SLPP) swept local polls over the weekend, decimating both the main parties of Colombo&rsquo;s ruling coalition: the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of President Maithripala Sirisena and the United National Party (UNP) of PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. &nbsp;WION spoke to Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament and &ndash; Mr Rajapaksa&rsquo;s son and political heir apparent.

Q: Namal Rajapaksa, your father the former President is as popular in Sri Lanka as he is controversial overseas. Your Sri Lanka People&rsquo;s Party (SLPP) is relatively new. Did either of you foresee such a sweeping win of the local polls over this previous weekend?

A: Thank you. Yes, I think we were expecting a big victory. If you look at the way the government has been reacting to people&rsquo;s demands over the past three years, it has always been from the government&rsquo;s point of view, rather than actually delivering what people need. Of the total of 96 MPs of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of the current President, 51 of us who split are seated in the opposition. Even though we are in the majority there, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which has only 16 members, leads the opposition, &nbsp;the Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna (JVP) has only four seats but yet provides the chief organizer whip of the opposition. So the current government is simply not responsive to people&rsquo;s demands and &ndash; this election result is a clear indication.

Q: These local polls were essentially elections to your &quot;pradeshiya sabhas&quot;, comparable to &lsquo;panchayat&rsquo; elections in India. And yet, you are already calling for snap parliamentary polls&hellip;

A: The people&rsquo;s verdict is very clear. The majority is not with the government. The government itself is in a crisis. Even though it calls itself a &quot;unity government&quot;, you can&rsquo;t see any unity within the government. You can&rsquo;t run a country like this. The President represents a different party than that of the PM. They are not on the same page and can&rsquo;t agree on anything the country needs. So, what&rsquo;s the point? This government cannot last.

Q: Your SLPP won especially handsomely in Hambantota, the home constituency of all the Rajapaksas. Did it have anything to do with the equity-for-debt deal with China over the Hambantota port and the 99-year-lease on 15000 acres of farmland in the area for the Chinese to build a free trade zone?

A: Yes, of course, that port is a national asset. &nbsp;But there is more. One of the main reasons for our victory there are the government&rsquo;s policies on agriculture and fisheries. &nbsp;Hambantota has a very strong agriculture base and it is badly affected by the government cutting down the fertilizer subsidy. And also by the fixed prices the government has introduced for paddy. The government is on the verge of privatising the fisheries industry of this country. But I must reiterate, it is not only in Hambantota that we won. We won all local councils even in Pollunaruwa, the district that the current President, Maithripala Sirisena, represents. &nbsp;That clearly shows how frustrated people are with his government.

Q: But what about the Tamils of Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka? That&rsquo;s an extremely sensitive question. A bloody civil war was fought for almost thirty years. It ended during your father&rsquo;s presidency. The outstanding question of maximum autonomy for the Tamils still remains unsolved. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA)&#39;s local party ITAK, won the recent local polls. &nbsp;If snap polls are held and your SLPP does come to power, what will you do for the North?

A: The government has to go for a snap poll. That&rsquo;s the only option now: a proper general election and the opportunity for the people to elect a strong government. As far as the North is concerned, please note : neither the SLFP, nor the UNP, nor the JVP nor even we, the UNPP, have so far been able to establish ourselves in the north as national political parties. So the only option in the north is to vote for TNA. Even though this government talks about reconciliation and unity, this govt hasn&rsquo;t taken the north seriously. Instead, it&rsquo;s still depending on the regional party. And is still depending on the regional ITAK. Look at the recent statements by the TNA leader, the Honourable Mr Sambandan and I say this with all due respect for his seniority and position. &nbsp;He categorically says that Tamil youth should not demand jobs and employment but should wait for a devolution package. Tamil people have been waiting for these opportunities for the last thirty years and now he wants them to wait for another thirty years!

Q: But will they have to wait much longer if your party, the SLPP wins a snap poll if one is held? What are your own plans for greater autonomy for the North and the East? &nbsp;

A: We need to come up with a solid development programme, over which both southern and northern Sri Lanka will agree. You can&rsquo;t come up with a devolution package only for the north. &nbsp;There are more Tamils living in Colombo, there are more Tamils living in upcountry Sri Lanka (up-country equal to tea estates). You know, the issue has never been between Tamils and Sinhalese. Look at the businesses in Colombo and elsewhere in Sri Lanka. Most are controlled by Tamils. I am sure that they don&rsquo;t all want to sell their businesses and live in Jaffna. That&rsquo;s not going to happen. So it has to be something that is accepted by Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese living in both the North and South. It is not about what Hon Sambandan wants, not about what Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief Prabhakaran wanted: that&rsquo;s history. And yet, that&rsquo;s what all these regional parties want. We have to have a holistic approach towards a solution and - the entire country has to accept it.

Q: Now give us a scoop before you go. Will your father Mahinda Rajapaksa be the next Prime Minister and your uncle, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (former defence secretary) be the President after the next presidential election?

A: That&rsquo;s &nbsp;a very difficult question. Of course, the candidate for PM will be my father, the former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. And it is clearly evident from the majority votes that we have got at this election - &nbsp;it&rsquo;s clear that people voted for him. The campaign was based on him, people voted for Mahinda Rajapaksa. &nbsp;But the presidential election is in 2020 and we haven&rsquo;t decided yet. My uncle Gotabhaya has just arrived in Sri Lanka. When the media asked him about getting into parliament or doing politics, &nbsp;he said he hasn&rsquo;t decided yet. &nbsp;So we&rsquo;ll think about the next presidency when the time comes. For now, our main objective is to go for a snap parliamentary election and form a very strong government. One which wants to and will take this country forward.

 
&nbsp;

Former President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa is on a comeback trail. His newly formed Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) swept local polls over the weekend. WION spoke to Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament and – Mr Rajapaksa’s son and political heir apparent

Former President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa is on a comeback trail. His newly formed Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) swept local polls over the weekend, decimating both the main parties of Colombo’s ruling coalition: the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of President Maithripala Sirisena and the United National Party (UNP) of PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. WION spoke to Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament and – Mr Rajapaksa’s son and political heir apparent. Q: Namal Rajapaksa, your father the former President is as popular in Sri Lanka as he is controversial overseas. Your Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) is relatively new. Did either of you foresee such a sweeping win of the local polls over this previous weekend? A: Thank you. Yes, I think we were expecting a big victory. If you look at the way the government has been reacting to people’s demands over the past three years, it has always been from the government’s point of view, rather than actually delivering what people need. Of the total of 96 MPs of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of the current President, 51 of us who split are seated in the opposition. Even though we are in the majority there, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which has only 16 members, leads the opposition, the Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna (JVP) has only four seats but yet provides the chief organizer whip of the opposition. So the current government is simply not responsive to people’s demands and – this election result is a clear indication. Q: These local polls were essentially elections to your "pradeshiya sabhas", comparable to ‘panchayat’ elections in India. And yet, you are already calling for snap parliamentary polls… A: The people’s verdict is very clear. The majority is not with the government. The government itself is in a crisis. Even though it calls itself a "unity government", you can’t see any unity within the government. You can’t run a country like this. The President represents a different party than that of the PM. They are not on the same page and can’t agree on anything the country needs. So, what’s the point? This government cannot last. Q: Your SLPP won especially handsomely in Hambantota, the home constituency of all the Rajapaksas. Did it have anything to do with the equity-for-debt deal with China over the Hambantota port and the 99-year-lease on 15000 acres of farmland in the area for the Chinese to build a free trade zone? A: Yes, of course, that port is a national asset. But there is more. One of the main reasons for our victory there are the government’s policies on agriculture and fisheries. Hambantota has a very strong agriculture base and it is badly affected by the government cutting down the fertilizer subsidy. And also by the fixed prices the government has introduced for paddy. The government is on the verge of privatising the fisheries industry of this country. But I must reiterate, it is not only in Hambantota that we won. We won all local councils even in Pollunaruwa, the district that the current President, Maithripala Sirisena, represents. That clearly shows how frustrated people are with his government. Q: But what about the Tamils of Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka? That’s an extremely sensitive question. A bloody civil war was fought for almost thirty years. It ended during your father’s presidency. The outstanding question of maximum autonomy for the Tamils still remains unsolved. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA)'s local party ITAK, won the recent local polls. If snap polls are held and your SLPP does come to power, what will you do for the North? A: The government has to go for a snap poll. That’s the only option now: a proper general election and the opportunity for the people to elect a strong government. As far as the North is concerned, please note : neither the SLFP, nor the UNP, nor the JVP nor even we, the UNPP, have so far been able to establish ourselves in the north as national political parties. So the only option in the north is to vote for TNA. Even though this government talks about reconciliation and unity, this govt hasn’t taken the north seriously. Instead, it’s still depending on the regional party. And is still depending on the regional ITAK. Look at the recent statements by the TNA leader, the Honourable Mr Sambandan and I say this with all due respect for his seniority and position. He categorically says that Tamil youth should not demand jobs and employment but should wait for a devolution package. Tamil people have been waiting for these opportunities for the last thirty years and now he wants them to wait for another thirty years! Q: But will they have to wait much longer if your party, the SLPP wins a snap poll if one is held? What are your own plans for greater autonomy for the North and the East? A: We need to come up with a solid development programme, over which both southern and northern Sri Lanka will agree. You can’t come up with a devolution package only for the north. There are more Tamils living in Colombo, there are more Tamils living in upcountry Sri Lanka (up-country equal to tea estates). You know, the issue has never been between Tamils and Sinhalese. Look at the businesses in Colombo and elsewhere in Sri Lanka. Most are controlled by Tamils. I am sure that they don’t all want to sell their businesses and live in Jaffna. That’s not going to happen. So it has to be something that is accepted by Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese living in both the North and South. It is not about what Hon Sambandan wants, not about what Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief Prabhakaran wanted: that’s history. And yet, that’s what all these regional parties want. We have to have a holistic approach towards a solution and - the entire country has to accept it. Q: Now give us a scoop before you go. Will your father Mahinda Rajapaksa be the next Prime Minister and your uncle, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (former defence secretary) be the President after the next presidential election? A: That’s a very difficult question. Of course, the candidate for PM will be my father, the former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. And it is clearly evident from the majority votes that we have got at this election - it’s clear that people voted for him. The campaign was based on him, people voted for Mahinda Rajapaksa. But the presidential election is in 2020 and we haven’t decided yet. My uncle Gotabhaya has just arrived in Sri Lanka. When the media asked him about getting into parliament or doing politics, he said he hasn’t decided yet. So we’ll think about the next presidency when the time comes. For now, our main objective is to go for a snap parliamentary election and form a very strong government. One which wants to and will take this country forward.

We want snap polls in Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa's son to WION

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