AMN/ WEB DESK
The party led by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and its allies have secured two-thirds seats at the general elections held on Wednesday in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka People’s party (SLPP) has won 145 seats in the 225-member parliament, while the allies have managed to clinch more than five seats.
Mr. Rajapaksa is likely to be sworn in as Prime Minister at the weekend after results are notified. He had taken over reins of caretaker government after his younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa had emerged victorious at last November Presidential elections. He received a record number of over five lakh preferential votes in his electoral district breaking the earlier record of former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe who has lost the elections this time.
President Gotabaya has expressed confidence of establishing a strong parliament to implement his policies. PM Rajapaksa today assured that Sri Lanka will not stand disappointed following the outcome of the election and thanked the people for their overwhelming support.
Samagi Jana balawega (SJB) led by former minister Sajith Premadasa has emerged as the main opposition party with 54 seats while the oldest party in the country United National Party (UNP) led by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe has got only a single seat. Mr. Wickremsinghe, who served as the country’s premier thrice, has lost the elections for the first time in his over four decade long parliamentary career.
SLPP got around 59 percent of the popular vote while SJB was able to garner around 23 percent. SJB is an offshoot of UNP and was formed early this year after Premadasa failed to wrest control of UNP. Tamil National Alliance, the main political group of ethnic Tamils, suffered a setback with only 10 seats against 16 during 2015 elections.