COLOMBO, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s former defense chief claimed an easy victory against his main rival from the ruling party in the presidential race, official results revealed on Sunday.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa secured 52.25% of the vote in Saturday’s poll, while Sajith Premadasa from the ruling United National Party could gain 41.99% of the votes.
Rajapaksa claimed victory with a 1.3-million-vote lead to become the country’s seventh president. He is scheduled to be sworn in on Monday near a sacred Buddhist temple, Ruwanwelisaya in Anuradhapura, some 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the capital Colombo.
The final results were announced on Sunday
