Gotabaya Rajapaksa takes early lead in Sri Lanka election result

Sri Lanka's former wartime defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa took an early lead Sunday in a fiercely fought presidential election conducted under high security seven months after deadly terrorist attacks. Rajapaksa, the main opposition candidate, was leading with 52.87 percent while housing minister Sajith Premadasa had 39.67 percent out of half a million votes counted, according to the Election Commission. Leftist Anura Kumara Dissanayake was in third place with 4.69 percent. There were 32 other candidates for the top job.

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Commission chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said at least 80 percent of the 15.99 million eligible voters participated in Saturday's poll, which was marred by isolated violence that left several people injured. Rajapaksa, 70, was leading in the island's majority Sinhalese areas while Premadasa showed strong support from among the island's minority Tamil community in the northern and eastern regions.

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Premadasa, 52, from the liberal United National Party (UNP), is the son of assassinated ex-president Ranasinghe Premadasa. The election is the first popularity test of the UNP-led government since the April 21 suicide bomb attacks that killed at least 269 people and were blamed on local Islamist extremists. The government had faced severe criticism for failing to prevent the attacks despite prior warnings. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stepped aside, allowing his deputy Premadasa to enter the fray and face Rajapaksa, the younger brother of former strongman president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Gotabaya is credited with directing security forces to crush Tamil rebels and end a 37-year separatist war in May 2009 during the tenure of Mahinda, who was president from 2005 to 2015. The Election Commission has said it hopes to provide final results by late Sunday

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Srilankan Presidential race

The presidential race in Sri Lanka this year marks the comeback for the Rajapaksa clan. The main contenders in the race are former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother Gotabaya (70) and  Sajith Premadasa (52). Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the former defense chief of the nation,  popular for his part in ending Sri Lanka’s 37- year-long civil war against the Tamil Tigers in 2009 and is eyeing a comeback after his brother lost the Presidential race in 2015.

His main contender - Premadasa from the governing liberal United National Party (UNP) and son of assassinated former president Ranasinghe Premadasa is eyeing to keep the legacy running, reportedly campaigning for development and gender equality. But in the wake of 2019 Easter attacks, the Rajapaksas adored by Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority and feared by the 15% Tamil minority, have run up their campaign mainly on security. A record number of 35 candidates are eyeing the top post and the votes of 16 million people in the Island country.

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