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| Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa faces crucial poll | Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa faces crucial poll |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Millions of Sri Lankans are voting in an unexpectedly close election that pits President Mahinda Rajapaksa against one of his former allies. | |
| Mr Rajapaksa, in office since 2005, called the election two years early with analysts predicting an easy win. | Mr Rajapaksa, in office since 2005, called the election two years early with analysts predicting an easy win. |
| But many voters have since rallied behind the challenger, former minister Maithripala Sirisena. | But many voters have since rallied behind the challenger, former minister Maithripala Sirisena. |
| Mr Rajapaksa rode a wave of popularity after the civil war ended in 2009 but he now faces claims of cronyism. | Mr Rajapaksa rode a wave of popularity after the civil war ended in 2009 but he now faces claims of cronyism. |
| His relatives fill many of the most powerful and influential positions in the country, and critics accuse him of running the state like a family business. | |
| Analysts say Mr Sirisena appears to have capitalised on this perception, making gains among Sinhalese who usually vote for Mr Rajapaksa. | Analysts say Mr Sirisena appears to have capitalised on this perception, making gains among Sinhalese who usually vote for Mr Rajapaksa. |
| Mr Sirisena is also expected to win most of the vote from the ethnic minorities that make up 30% of Sri Lanka's population. | Mr Sirisena is also expected to win most of the vote from the ethnic minorities that make up 30% of Sri Lanka's population. |
| Mr Rajapaksa, however, remains hugely popular with many in the Sinhalese majority. | Mr Rajapaksa, however, remains hugely popular with many in the Sinhalese majority. |
| He has presided over a period of impressive economic growth and still has political capital from being the leader who brought an end to the war. | He has presided over a period of impressive economic growth and still has political capital from being the leader who brought an end to the war. |
| The election campaign has been marred by violence and allegations of intimidation. | The election campaign has been marred by violence and allegations of intimidation. |
| On Wednesday, an opposition activist died a day after being shot while organising a rally. | On Wednesday, an opposition activist died a day after being shot while organising a rally. |
| And election officials said they were looking into claims that the army had been deployed in Tamil areas, allegedly to deter Tamils from voting. | And election officials said they were looking into claims that the army had been deployed in Tamil areas, allegedly to deter Tamils from voting. |
| Mr Rajapaksa was last elected in 2010, when he defeated his former army chief Sarath Fonseka, who was later jailed for implicating the government in war crimes. | Mr Rajapaksa was last elected in 2010, when he defeated his former army chief Sarath Fonseka, who was later jailed for implicating the government in war crimes. |
| Both sides in the 26-year civil war have been accused of atrocities. | Both sides in the 26-year civil war have been accused of atrocities. |
| Government forces were alleged to have killed many civilians during their final bloody assault on the Tamil Tigers, during which thousands of people were killed. | Government forces were alleged to have killed many civilians during their final bloody assault on the Tamil Tigers, during which thousands of people were killed. |
| Polling stations opened at 07:00 (01:30 GMT) on Thursday, and results are expected on Friday. |