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Suddenly, Sri Lanka Presidential Elections Become a Real Contest | Suddenly, Sri Lanka Presidential Elections Become a Real Contest |
(about 9 hours later) | |
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s health minister quit on Friday to become the opposition candidate in the election set for January, surprising the incumbent with a united and robust challenge to his bid for an unprecedented third term. | COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s health minister quit on Friday to become the opposition candidate in the election set for January, surprising the incumbent with a united and robust challenge to his bid for an unprecedented third term. |
At least five other presidential loyalists also abandoned Mr. Rajapaksa to join the defection led by the health minister, Maithripala Sirisena, who also had been the ruling party’s general secretary. | At least five other presidential loyalists also abandoned Mr. Rajapaksa to join the defection led by the health minister, Maithripala Sirisena, who also had been the ruling party’s general secretary. |
Mr. Sirisena said in his resignation announcement that he had been nominated by a united group of opposition parties to be the main challenger against Mr. Rajapaksa in the Jan. 8 vote. | Mr. Sirisena said in his resignation announcement that he had been nominated by a united group of opposition parties to be the main challenger against Mr. Rajapaksa in the Jan. 8 vote. |
Others who quit the ruling alliance included the fisheries minister, Rajitha Senaratne; the education services minister, Duminda Dissanayake; and M. K .D .S. Gunewardane, a deputy minister. Vasantha Senanayake and Rajiva Wijesinha, members of Parliament from the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party, also defected to the opposition. | |
Mr. Sirisena pledged to return power to the country’s Parliament, which is now overshadowed by a powerful presidency. | Mr. Sirisena pledged to return power to the country’s Parliament, which is now overshadowed by a powerful presidency. |
“I am the common candidate,” Mr. Sirisena told a packed news briefing after resigning. | “I am the common candidate,” Mr. Sirisena told a packed news briefing after resigning. |
While opposition parties had pledged for months that they would field a single candidate, the success of the effort as well as the extent of defections from the ruling party were a surprise. | While opposition parties had pledged for months that they would field a single candidate, the success of the effort as well as the extent of defections from the ruling party were a surprise. |
“This has all the potential of being a real electoral contest now,” said Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Center for Policy Alternatives in Colombo. “The Rajapaksas simply cannot afford to lose power, so it promises to be a hard-fought campaign.” | “This has all the potential of being a real electoral contest now,” said Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Center for Policy Alternatives in Colombo. “The Rajapaksas simply cannot afford to lose power, so it promises to be a hard-fought campaign.” |
Mr. Sirisena pledged to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the opposition United National Party, as prime minister if he is elected president. | Mr. Sirisena pledged to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the opposition United National Party, as prime minister if he is elected president. |
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