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| Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa faces crucial poll | Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa faces crucial poll |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Millions of Sri Lankans are voting in an unexpectedly close election that pits President Mahinda Rajapaksa against one of his former allies. | 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. |
| There are armed policemen at every polling station because of concerns the election will not be peaceful and free. | There are armed policemen at every polling station because of concerns the election will not be peaceful and free. |
| 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. | 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 about 30% of Sri Lanka's population. | |
| At the scene: Yogita Limaye, BBC News, Colombo | At the scene: Yogita Limaye, BBC News, Colombo |
| There has been a steady stream of voters at the polling booth I'm at in Colombo. | |
| Azeez Hanifa, 50, came to vote with his wife and mother. He wants the end of corruption and what he calls "monarch rule". | Azeez Hanifa, 50, came to vote with his wife and mother. He wants the end of corruption and what he calls "monarch rule". |
| His 74-year-old mother says she remembers the country in turbulent times and wants peace. | His 74-year-old mother says she remembers the country in turbulent times and wants peace. |
| It's the first time undergraduate student Harintha Tillekaratne has voted in a presidential election. He wants more economic development and better quality education. | It's the first time undergraduate student Harintha Tillekaratne has voted in a presidential election. He wants more economic development and better quality education. |
| It's expected that the voter turnout will be high. So far, election day has been relatively peaceful. | It's expected that the voter turnout will be high. So far, election day has been relatively peaceful. |
| Mr Rajapaksa, however, remains hugely popular with many in the Sinhalese majority. | Mr Rajapaksa, however, remains hugely popular with many in the Sinhalese majority. |
| Casting his ballot in his constituency on Thursday, Mr Rajapaksa said he was confident he would be given the leadership of the country for the third time. | Casting his ballot in his constituency on Thursday, Mr Rajapaksa said he was confident he would be given the leadership of the country for the third time. |
| "We will have a resounding victory. That is very clear. From tomorrow, we will start implementing our manifesto," he told reporters according to the AFP news agency. | |
| 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. |
| Sri Lanka is split along ethnic lines and Tamil rebels launched a campaign for a separate state in 1972. The Rajapaksa government crushed the rebellion but only after a bloody conflict had killed thousands of people. | |
| 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. Election officials said they were looking into claims that the army had been deployed in Tamil areas, allegedly to deter Tamils from voting. | On Wednesday, an opposition activist died a day after being shot while organising a rally. 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. |
| The government has always denied allegations that many thousands of civilians were killed during the army's final assault on Tamil Tiger rebels. | The government has always denied allegations that many thousands of civilians were killed during the army's final assault on Tamil Tiger rebels. |
| Polling stations opened at 07:00 (01:30 GMT) on Thursday, and results are expected on Friday. | Polling stations opened at 07:00 (01:30 GMT) on Thursday, and results are expected on Friday. |