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| Sri Lanka's Maithripala Sirisena looks to have toppled Rajapaksa | |
| (1 day later) | |
| Maithripala Sirisena was one of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's closest allies - until his surprise announcement that he planned to run against him in Thursday's election. | Maithripala Sirisena was one of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's closest allies - until his surprise announcement that he planned to run against him in Thursday's election. |
| The president's supporters were quick to label him a traitor and knew his candidacy spelt danger for their man, who was seeking an unprecedented third term. | |
| Mr Rajapaksa has now conceded defeat to Mr Sirisena, saying he intends to ensure a smooth transition of power. | |
| Mr Sirisena was one of the most powerful men in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party before he defected along with a number of other ruling party figures. | Mr Sirisena was one of the most powerful men in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party before he defected along with a number of other ruling party figures. |
| Coming from a farming family in the Sinhalese heartland, he appeals to the same demographic as the man he sought to unseat. | |
| Ranged behind him are a large opposition coalition that kept his name secret until the final moment. | Ranged behind him are a large opposition coalition that kept his name secret until the final moment. |
| The BBC's former Sri Lanka correspondent, Charles Haviland, says Mr Sirisena has nothing of the president's jovial, folksy charisma. | The BBC's former Sri Lanka correspondent, Charles Haviland, says Mr Sirisena has nothing of the president's jovial, folksy charisma. |
| But it is he who has the momentum and a government hitherto seen as impregnable seems to be floundering, our correspondent says. | But it is he who has the momentum and a government hitherto seen as impregnable seems to be floundering, our correspondent says. |
| His unwieldy coalition includes the main opposition UNP and a former president who has apologised for the past treatment of minority Tamils. | His unwieldy coalition includes the main opposition UNP and a former president who has apologised for the past treatment of minority Tamils. |
| It also embraces a hard-line Buddhist nationalist party - a defector from the ruling coalition - that completely denies the well-attested evidence that thousands of Tamil civilians died in the final bombardments of the war, our correspondent adds. | It also embraces a hard-line Buddhist nationalist party - a defector from the ruling coalition - that completely denies the well-attested evidence that thousands of Tamil civilians died in the final bombardments of the war, our correspondent adds. |
| Mr Sirisena has made no mention of minority rights or of any political solution to the island's ethnic conflict and has ruled out allowing any political leader to be prosecuted for alleged war crimes. | Mr Sirisena has made no mention of minority rights or of any political solution to the island's ethnic conflict and has ruled out allowing any political leader to be prosecuted for alleged war crimes. |
| 'Controlled by one family' | 'Controlled by one family' |
| Announcing his candidacy in November, he said Sri Lanka was heading towards a dictatorship and was blighted by rampant corruption and a breakdown in law and order. | Announcing his candidacy in November, he said Sri Lanka was heading towards a dictatorship and was blighted by rampant corruption and a breakdown in law and order. |
| "The entire economy and every aspect of society is controlled by one family," he said. Three brothers of the president and his son all occupy influential positions. | "The entire economy and every aspect of society is controlled by one family," he said. Three brothers of the president and his son all occupy influential positions. |
| Mahinda Rajapaksa said bitterly that Mr Sirisena had defected after the two men shared a meal of the popular Sri Lankan comfort food, "hoppers" or rice pancakes. | Mahinda Rajapaksa said bitterly that Mr Sirisena had defected after the two men shared a meal of the popular Sri Lankan comfort food, "hoppers" or rice pancakes. |
| He said his rival "eats hoppers in the night and then stabs you in the back in the morning". | He said his rival "eats hoppers in the night and then stabs you in the back in the morning". |
| Mr Sirisena later said he felt sorry for the president during the meal but he couldn't remain with a leader "who had plundered the country, government and natural wealth". | Mr Sirisena later said he felt sorry for the president during the meal but he couldn't remain with a leader "who had plundered the country, government and natural wealth". |
| Voter appeal | Voter appeal |
| Maithripala Sirisena comes from the Sinhalese-dominated North Central Province which was seen as "border country" when the Tamil Tigers controlled the North. | Maithripala Sirisena comes from the Sinhalese-dominated North Central Province which was seen as "border country" when the Tamil Tigers controlled the North. |
| Aged just 19 in 1971 he was jailed for 15 months for alleged involvement in the first insurrection by the extreme-left People's Liberation Front (JVP). | Aged just 19 in 1971 he was jailed for 15 months for alleged involvement in the first insurrection by the extreme-left People's Liberation Front (JVP). |
| Until November 2014 he was general secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and health minister. | Until November 2014 he was general secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and health minister. |
| He was almost killed in October 2008 when the convoy he was in was attacked by a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber in a Colombo suburb. One person died. | He was almost killed in October 2008 when the convoy he was in was attacked by a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber in a Colombo suburb. One person died. |
| The 63-year-old has painted himself as a clean-living champion of the rural masses. He opposes smoking and drinking alcohol. | The 63-year-old has painted himself as a clean-living champion of the rural masses. He opposes smoking and drinking alcohol. |
| He hopes to capitalise on disquiet at rising living costs and at a culture of political thuggery and violence. | He hopes to capitalise on disquiet at rising living costs and at a culture of political thuggery and violence. |
| The Sinhalese Buddhist majority accounts for 70% of Sri Lanka's 21 million people - and he looks set to secure a large share of their votes. | The Sinhalese Buddhist majority accounts for 70% of Sri Lanka's 21 million people - and he looks set to secure a large share of their votes. |
| He also appeals to many members of Tamil, Muslim and Christian minorities who have felt increasingly marginalised under the Rajapaksa presidency. | He also appeals to many members of Tamil, Muslim and Christian minorities who have felt increasingly marginalised under the Rajapaksa presidency. |
| Mr Sirisena has been quoted as saying he was unhappy with Mr Rajapaksa from 2006 onwards - but this raises the question of why he stayed so long in a government whose activities he now criticises, and of whether he is perhaps implicated in some of its excesses. | Mr Sirisena has been quoted as saying he was unhappy with Mr Rajapaksa from 2006 onwards - but this raises the question of why he stayed so long in a government whose activities he now criticises, and of whether he is perhaps implicated in some of its excesses. |
| He says he was acting defence minister during the last two weeks of the war and has used this to try and entrench his appeal among the Sinhalese voter base. | He says he was acting defence minister during the last two weeks of the war and has used this to try and entrench his appeal among the Sinhalese voter base. |
| This has played badly with some Tamils as there is still much residual support for the Tamil Tigers among that community. The main Tamil National Alliance is backing him however. | This has played badly with some Tamils as there is still much residual support for the Tamil Tigers among that community. The main Tamil National Alliance is backing him however. |
| For many, though, Mr Sirisena represented the only way of unseating President Rajapaksa - and, questions aside, that was his trump card. |