President Mahinda Rajapakse

Sri Lanka's main opposition party said on Thursday it would back former military chief General Sarath Fonseka in his bid to unseat President Mahinda Rajapakse in upcoming elections. The United National Party (UNP) said it had secured an agreement with Fonseka, 58, who has been widely credited with the strategy that led to the defeat of Tamil rebels in May after decades of ethnic bloodshed. "We back General Fonseka to be the common opposition candidate," UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told reporters. Earlier this week the Marxist JVP, which previously backed Rajapakse, said it would also back Fonseka to challenge his ex-boss in a snap ... Read Full Story

Sri Lanka's ex-military chief will challenge President Mahinda Rajapakse in upcoming elections, an opposition party said Tuesday, after the pair engineered the defeat of a bloody Tamil Tiger revolt. The People's Liberation Front (JVP), which had earlier backed Rajapakse, said General Sarath Fonseka would stand against his former boss in a snap presidential election due between January 11 and February 13. "We came to an agreement last night (Monday) that he will be the common opposition candidate," JVP lawmaker Anurakumara Dissanayake said. "We will ensure his victory and the downfall of President Rajapakse." Fonseka, 58, is considered a war hero by many Sri Lankans ... Read Full Story

Sri Lanka's former military chief, General Sarath Fonseka, will challenge his ex-boss President Mahinda Rajapakse in elections next year, a key leftist opposition party announced Tuesday. The JVP, or People's Liberation Front, which had earlier backed Rajapakse, said they secured agreement with Fonseka, 58, to stand against Rajapakse. The president on Monday called a snap vote, which is due between January 11 and February 13. "We came to an agreement last night (Monday) that he will be the common opposition candidate," JVP lawmaker Anurakumara Dissanayake said. "We will ensure his victory and the downfall of President Rajapakse." He added: "He has accepted to be ... Read Full Story

Sri Lanka will hold early presidential elections within months, media minister Anura Yapa told reporters on Monday, after government forces defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels six months ago. President Mahinda Rajapakse would shortly announce the exact date of the vote, the minister said, with local press reports predicting January 23 as polling day. "This morning the president met with all party leaders (of the ruling People's Alliance coalition) and decided that the president election will be held soon," Yapa said. He said Rajapakse wanted a fresh mandate, despite his six-year term not ending until November 2012. Sri Lanka's constitution allows the president to call ... Read Full Story

Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapakse Monday announced he was calling a snap election to seek a second term, six months after his security forces defeated separatist Tamil Tiger rebels. President Rajapakse said in a statement that he was seeking a fresh mandate after completing four years in office out of his six-year term. "The work I should have done during my six year term has been completed in four," the president said. "Therefore, I have decided to have an early presidential election. I am not afraid to go before the people now." However, he did not say when the vote will be held. Local ... Read Full Story