President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition has won
Rajapaksa’s United People’s Freedom Alliance had won 120 seats out of 180 initially decided for the 225-member parliament, results released by the Department of Government Information showed. The next closest challenger had at least 47.
It takes 113 seats to have a majority and form the government.
“We may be short of 12 or 13 seats to get two-thirds but that will not be a challenge for us,” said UPFA spokesman and Transport Minister Dullas Alahaperuma. “There is no question about the victory.”
The problem with opposition parties, however, is that they remain split. More than 7,000 candidates contested in the parliamentary election.
Rajapaksa remains a hero among the country’s Sinhalese majority for leading last year’s victory over ethnic Tamil rebels, and many voters hope he can bring postwar development and reconciliation to the country after a quarter-century of civil conflict.
A two-thirds parliamentary majority would allow Rajapaksa’s party to change the constitution to allow a president to serve more than two terms. The opposition fears Rajapaksa will try to remain in power past the end of his second term in 2017.
The United National Front said it wanted to contest the elections alone. However, its head, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, faces a leadership challenge and party disunity after a series of election losses.
Election monitors reported a low turnout Thursday, but the elections office said it can’t confirm the voting percentage until the final result is released.
Posted on April 9, 2010, in South Asia, Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Politics, World News. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.
Wimal Weerawansa topped the UPFA list with 280,672 votes while UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe led the party’s preferential votes’ list in the Colombo district by obtaining 230,957 votes
In the UPFA list, candidates R. Duminda Silva and Paatali Champika Ranawaka have clinched the second and third slots with 146,336 and 120,333 preferential votes.
Besides, Retired Gen. Sarath Fonseka who is in military custody contesting the election under the Trophy symbol had received 98,456 votes. His party polled 110,000 votes in the Colombo district.
Meanwhile 21 candidates who contested the April 8 parliamentary elections have obtained over 100,000 preferential votes each, according to the election results released yesterday. However, the results of the Kandy and Trincomalee districts have been withheld due to certain irregularities.
Of these candidates, 19 belong to the UPFA which won this election with a thumping majority.
In the Hambantota district, President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Namal Rajapaksa has received 147,566 votes on the UPFA ticket. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera who trails behind him has got 105,414.
Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva is the highest receiver of preference votes in the Badulla district. He had polled 141,990 votes under the UPFA.
Ministers S.M. Chandrasena and Duminda Dissanayake have gained 112,644 and 101,384 preference votes in the Anuradhapura district under the betel symbol of the UPFA.
The UPFA’s Kurunegala district list was topped by Johnston Fernando with 136,943 votes. Minister T.B. Ekanayake came second in the same list with 112,420 votes.
In Galle, Nisantha Mutuhettigama topped the list with 124,368 votes. Also, Ministers John Seneviratne and Mrs. Pavithra Wanniarachchi have secured 125,816 and 110,220 votes in Ratnapura. From the Kalutara district, Minister Kumara Welgama is the highest taker of preferential votes numbering over 120,000.
UPFA candidates from the Gampaha district Basil Rajapaksa (425,861), Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle (186,140), Mervyn Silva (151,085) and Ven. Athuraliye Ratana thera (112,010) are high preferential vote takers.
Deputy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya who received 141,935 preferential votes is the only one falling into this group in the Kegalle district.
In these districts, UNP Kurunegala district candidate Dayasiri Jayasekara is the only member in these districts to obtain more than 100,000 votes from the party. He has obtained 132,949 votes.