Rajapaksa concedes defeat in Lanka Presidential polls

Colombo, Jan 9:

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa Friday conceded defeat in the presidential election and congratulated opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena who was well on course for victory, an official said.

Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena, who was leading the poll so far, was headed for a victory, Xinhua reported.

Sirisena, a former government minister, deserted the president and changed sides to become the opposition’s candidate in November, Dailymirror.lk reported.

He has vowed to root out corruption and bring constitutional reforms to weaken the president’s power, the report added.

Earlier, President Mahinda Rajapaksa left his official residence Temple Trees after meeting Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and the cabinet and assuring a smooth transfer of power.

President Rajapaksa said during a meeting with opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe that he accepted the people’s verdict, and left his official residence, the president’s press secretary Vijayananda Herath said.

Earlier Thursday, Tamils in the north defied a call to boycott the election, with a majority backing Sirisena, a former health minister.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka’s minority Tamil party, had urged voters to support Sirisena, but some TNA provincial council members called for a boycott.

The final results from the north and other areas of the country will be released Friday.

More than 11 million people voted across Sri Lanka Thursday in the presidential election.

Incumbent president Mahinda Rajapaksa who has been in power since 2005 was fighting for an unprecedented third term.

Modi congratulates Sirisena

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday congratulated opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena on his victory in the Sri Lankan polls and reaffirmed India’s continued support for the nation’s peace and development, IANS dds from New Delhi.

“I spoke to Maithripala Sirisena and congratulated him. I congratulate the people of Sri Lanka on the peaceful and democratic poll process,” the Prime Minister said in a statement.

He added: “As a close friend and neighbour, reaffirmed India’s continued solidarity and support for Sri Lanka’s peace, development and prosperity.”

 

(IANS)