Gotabaya Rajapaksa sworn in as Sri Lankan President

Sri Lanka's controversial wartime defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was on Monday sworn in as country's President at Ruwanweli Seya precincts in ancient rth-central town of Anurhapura. newly-elected president worshipped at Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred fig tree in Mahamewna Gardens and Ruwanweli Seya, a stupa and a hemispherical structure containing relics and considered sacred to many Buddhists all over world, in town.

"Sustaining victory is more important than journey towards it," Rajapaksa said in a tweet before swearing-in ceremony.

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Rajapaksa succeeds Maithripala Sirisena

His elder bror Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was country's president from 2005 to 2015, former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and a large number of dignitaries, including parliamentarians, took part in oath-taking ceremony. Rajapaksa, 70, defeated Sajith Premasa, 52, by more than 13 lakh votes, election commission anunced on Sunday. He will succeed President Maithripala Sirisena for a five-year term. Rajapaksa secured 52.25 per cent votes (6,924,255), while Premasa bagged 41.99 per cent  (5,564,239) of total votes polled. Or candidates got 5.76 per cent votes. overall voter turut at election was around 83.73 per cent, Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said.

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