Gotabaya Rajapaksa, opposition candidate in Sri Lanka’s presidential contest, on Sunday emerged winner securing 52.25 % of the mandate, and marking the return of the Rajapaksa family to power. Mr. Rajapaksa beat the incumbent government’s candidate Sajith Premadasa — who got nearly 42 % of the vote share. The Tamil and Muslim minorities in the north-eastern districts, averse to a Rajapaksa return, voted decisively for Mr. Premadasa. However, this did not make up for the ground he lost to Mr. Rajapaksa in much of the Sinhala-majority areas. pic.twitter.com/0A58Sef8CE — Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) November 17, 2019Mr. Premadasa, 52, conceded the presidential election to his rival even before the official results were announced by the Elections Secretariat.

Source: The Hindu November 17, 2019 11:16 UTC