COLOMBO, Nov 18 (NNN-SLNEWS) – Sri Lanka’s President-elect, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, said, he was ready to take over the presidency and begin work for all citizens, shortly after the Elections Chief declared him the winner of Saturday’s presidential polls.
“I am very happy that I have won. I am ready to take over and begin work for all my citizens,” Rajapaksa said, after meeting Elections Chief, Mahinda Deshapriya, in the capital, Colombo.
Rajapaksa met Deshapriya on Sunday afternoon, at the Elections Commission, where Deshapriya congratulated him and officially declared him winner.
Rajapaksa contested the presidential election, held on Saturday, from the opposition Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), after his party declared him as the most popular candidate of the SLPP.
According to final results, Rajapaksa won the polls after securing over 6.9 million votes, or 52.25 percent of the total votes, defeating his opponent, Sajith Premadasa, who secured over 5.5 million votes, or 41.99 percent.
Rajapaksa served as the defence secretary in the previous Sri Lankan government, which was headed by his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Rajapaksa will be sworn in as president on Monday morning (today), in Anuradhapura, in Sri Lanka’s North Central province.– NNN-SLNEWS
