Rajapaksa brothers sweep Sri Lanka polls, secure 145 seats

Rajapaksa brothers' Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party secured a landslide victory in the country's parliamentary elections by winning 145 seats.

According to Colombo Page, the SLPP received 6,853,693 votes and secured 128 electoral seats and with the 17 national list members totalling 145 seats in the parliament although just shy of the two-third majority as was expected by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Meanwhile, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) led by Sajith Premadasa came in second with 2,771,984 votes, thus, winning 47 electoral seats. His party received seven national list slots totalling 54 seats.

Premadasa will reportedly be the Opposition Leader of the new parliament.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Mahinda Rajapaksa to congratulate him.

During their telephonic conversation, the leaders agreed to remain in close touch as both countries address the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic and resolved to take bilateral relations to newer heights in the coming days.

A PMO release said the Prime Minister commended the government and the electoral institutions of Sri Lanka for effectively orgsing elections despite the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also appreciated Sri Lankan people for their enthusiastic participation in the elections and said this reflected the strong democratic values shared by both countries.

"Prime Minister Modi noted that the incoming results of the elections indicate an impressive electoral performance by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party and conveyed his congratulations and best wishes to Mahinda Rajapaksa in this regard," the release said.

( With inputs from ANI )