Lanka Citizen

by Wijitha Nakkawita

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, from the nuclear political family of Giruwapattuwa, yesterday reached the highest elected office in the country, that of Executive President. He followed the footsteps of the earlier generation of Rajapakses which produced the ‘Lion of Ruhuna’ D. M. Rajapakse, who was followed by not less than seven members elected to the State Council and the Parliament from this southernmost electorate of the country.

Rajapakse, who also celebrated his 60th Birthday yesterday, will take oaths as the 5th Elected Executive President of the country, at the auspicious time of 1.20 p.m. today, before Chief Justice Sarath N.de Silva at the President’s House.

He polled 50.33 percent of the votes polled at the election and was announced duly elected President by the Commissioner of Elections, Dayananda Dissanayake yesterday (18).

He also becomes the first Head of State and Government to be elected from the Ruhuna (Southern Province), since 1948. Despite little cooperation from some of the highest ranking members of the SLFP, and not being the leader of the party, he yet steadfastly protected and stood by the SLFP when others left the party at the time it was in dire straits. The common people of the strong SLFP districts gave him a massive mandate as in the case of the Southern Province repaying him for his party loyalty.

courtesy The Island