Picture : Twitter / ANI
In a stunning Presidential Elections 2019 results in Sri Lanka, the wartime defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa will now lead the country after ruling party candidate Sajith Premadasa conceded the hotly contested presidential poll . He will succeed President Maithripala Sirisena for a five-year term
“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,” the retired lieutenant colonel said in a tweet.
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. pic.twitter.com/tXqLrdH3Qv
— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) November 17, 2019
PTI reported that the the shock win marks the return of the powerful Rajapaksa dynasty known for its pro-China tilt, amidst security challenges following the Easter Sunday terror attacks that killed 269 people.
Rajapaksa defeated Premadasa by more than 13 lakh votes, according to the official results. Rajapaksa secured 52.25 per cent votes (6,924,255) while Premadasa received 41.99 per cent of the total votes polled (5,564,239), the election commission said. Other candidates got 5.76 per cent votes. Rajapaksa, 70, urged his supporters to “rejoice peacefully”.
