Sri Lanka: Maithripala Sirisena not to contest national polls

According to sources, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has decided t to run country's presidential election next month. According to Election Commission records, his name was t mentioned on 41-candidate list who paid deposits by Sunday's on deline to contest vember 16 presidential poll. 

Sirisena criticised by public

Sirisena h caused a reckless constitutional crisis previous year when he assigned ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a former political rival as Prime Minister, replacing Ranil Wickremesinghe. However, later Supreme Court ruled against Sirisena's action and reinstated Wickremesinghe. Sirisena h to face severe criticism by angered public over government's handling of an intelligence report warning of Easter Day bombings that killed 250 people. 

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In year 2015, Sirisena won presidency promising to bring positive changes in functioning of government organizations, including introducing anti-corruption measures and punishing those who plundered public funds under Rajapaksa ministration, according to reports. 

However, his entire tenure has been a disappointing ride for many Sri Lankan voters, as all his desperate tries to garner support to able to mount a re-election bid in recent months has gone to waste, leaving him choice but to accept that he is t going to make it, said a source. 

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Rajapaksa in light 

minations for Sri Lanka's election will be accepted on Monday. 41-candidate list consists of two members from influential Rajapaksa family. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former secretary to Ministry of Defence during his bror's dece in power is frontrunner, but faces several court cases over corruption allegations and validity of his Sri Lankan citizenship. 

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He says he has reunced United States citizenship he obtained in 2003. court dismissed a case seeking cancellation of Gotabaya's citizenship, clearing way for him to register as a candidate, on Monday. However, according to sources, family is also playing cards of elder bror Chamal, a former speaker of parliament, as a backup. Some 15.99 million men and women over of 18 years are eligible to vote in election. 

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(with inputs from ncies)