Colombo Sri Lanka's former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse admitted his dream of a political comeback was over Tuesday as parliamentary election results showed a huge surge in support for the party that helped engineer his ousting. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United Nationa
Colombo
Sri Lanka's former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse admitted his dream of a political comeback was over Tuesday as parliamentary election results showed a huge surge in support for the party that helped engineer his ousting.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) secured 106 seats, short of a majority in the 225-member assembly but enough to form a government.
The UNP held just 40 seats in the previous parliament and Wickremesinghe said the result was an endorsement of the "January 8 revolution" that removed Rajapakse after a decade in power.
"I thank all those who worked for the victory of the people," said Wickremesinghe, who is now all but certain to continue as prime minister. "I urge all to unite and help build our nation." Eight months after his shock defeat in presidential polls, Rajapakse acknowledged there would be no swift return to power in the role of prime minister.
"My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away," Rajapakse saidin an early morning phone interview. "I am conceding. We have lost a good fight."
Rajapakse's United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) came second with 95 seats, while the minority Tamil National Alliance (TNA) took 16 seats.
The outcome represents another bitter blow for Rajapakse, who led Sri Lanka for a decade before he was dramatically ousted by his one-time ally Maithripala Sirisena in a January 8 presidential election.
The former health minister united a fractured opposition to pull off an unlikely victory against Rajapakse, who has seen a welter of corruption accusations levelled against him and his close relatives since leaving office.
With none of the smaller parties committing to support a coalition government, the UNP is now expected to look to UPFA members several of whom are already loyal to Sirisena -- for support.
Wickremesinghe's outgoing government, formed after Sirisena's surprise victory, had just 40 seats in the assembly. It was able to survive with the support of some opposition lawmakers, but persistent blocking by the opposition led Sirisena to call the general election a year ahead of schedule so he could push through promised reforms.
