Sri Lanka election: Mahinda Rajapaksa concedes defeat, leaves official residence

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has conceded defeat in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections that got underway yesterday. According to Sri Lankan channel AdaDerana: Following a brief discussion with Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe and assuring the smooth transfer of power, President Mahinda Rajapaksa left Temple Trees a short while ago. [caption id=“attachment_2037559” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] AP[/caption] President Rajapaksa had left Temple Trees in this manner respecting the vote of the people, as the results of the 2015 Presidential Election continue to roll out. The President had a brief meeting with the UNP Leader this morning. During the meeting, Rajapaksa has informed Wickramasinghe that he would leave Temple Trees vesting the new President with powers to carry out his official duties." The news has since been confirmed by a number of other media reports and was also tweeted out by Reuters and AFP, citing sources. The presidential press secretary, Vijayananda Herath, told AFP: “The president met with former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning. The president concedes defeat and will ensure a smooth transition of power bowing to the wishes of the people.” One senior government official and close ally of Rajapaksa told Reuters: “We don’t have any good news. It is all bad news. I think people need a change and this is democracy.” Rajapaksa was fighting to seek an unprecedented third term in power, and was largely expected to win unopposed until a shock challenge was mounted by his Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, who fronted a united opposition effort. Sirisena’s campaign galvanised the opposition and rallied the people, many of whom were tired of the excesses of the Rajapaksa family and an increasingly high cost of living. Election officials estimated more than 65-70 percent voting in most places in the first seven hours of voting, with exceptionally high turnout recorded in minority Muslim and Tamil dominated areas. Some 1,586,598 of the country’s 21 million population are eligible to vote. About 1,076 polling stations were set for elections. Sirisena posted huge wins from the North and East in particular, and also won from Colombo, the central Nuwara-Eliya and Kandy districts and his home town of Polonnaruwa. Voters from minority Tamil community turned out to vote in large numbers in the areas dominated by them, defying intimidation attempts. In the three northern districts of Tamil regions in Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu over 50 percent polling was recorded.