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Mahinda Rajapaksa was chosen by Sri Lanka Freedom Party to contest with former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the United National Party in this Presidential Election held on 17 November 2005. Despite the huge election campaign led by UNP, Mahinda Rajapaksa was able to gain a narrow victory by 190,000 votes. The Opposition claimed that LTTE calling for a boycott of the polls in the North and East from Tamil voters in areas within their control lead to their defeat. Most voters in these areas were forcibly restrained from voting, and it is said that they would have favored Ranil Wickremasinghe and his UNP party in the said election. Rajapaksa received 50.3% of the vote.
After becoming President of Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa reshuffled the cabinet and took the portfolios of Defence and Finance in the new cabinet, which was sworn on 23 November 2005.
In the Presidential Election of 8 January 2015, Rajapaksa was defeated by his ex-aide Maithripala Sirisena, winning only 47.6% of the vote. Many had accused him of becoming increasingly authoritarian, nepotism, bad governance and corruption, having seen that he has lost most of the minorities vote base was due his patron over Buddhist extremist Bodu Bala Sena.
According to MP Rajitha Senaratne, Rajapaksa has ordered Coup d'état to maintain his powers as President of Sri Lanka in the last minute of announcement of the election result, subsequently the orders were disobeyed by the Army Chief Jagath Jayasuriya in the choice of the people's will.
Earlier before requesting the Army Chief, Rajapaksa had informed Attorney General to prepare the necessary documentation of issuance of the State of Emergency, But the Attorney General had refused to act on behalf of Rajapaksa on the issuance of the State of Emergency powers to seizure the control of newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena. Prior to Attorney General's refusal to act on behalf of the Rajapaksa's request which led him to accept the defeat of the Presidential Election and left the Temple Trees the official residence of President and peacefully transmitted the powers to Maithripala Sirisena
After becoming President of Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa reshuffled the cabinet and took the portfolios of Defence and Finance in the new cabinet, which was sworn on 23 November 2005.
In the Presidential Election of 8 January 2015, Rajapaksa was defeated by his ex-aide Maithripala Sirisena, winning only 47.6% of the vote. Many had accused him of becoming increasingly authoritarian, nepotism, bad governance and corruption, having seen that he has lost most of the minorities vote base was due his patron over Buddhist extremist Bodu Bala Sena.According to MP Rajitha Senaratne, Rajapaksa has ordered Coup d'état to maintain his powers as President of Sri Lanka in the last minute of announcement of the election result, subsequently the orders were disobeyed by the Army Chief Jagath Jayasuriya in the choice of the people's will.
Earlier before requesting the Army Chief, Rajapaksa had informed Attorney General to prepare the necessary documentation of issuance of the State of Emergency, But the Attorney General had refused to act on behalf of Rajapaksa on the issuance of the State of Emergency powers to seizure the control of newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena. Prior to Attorney General's refusal to act on behalf of the Rajapaksa's request which led him to accept the defeat of the Presidential Election and left the Temple Trees the official residence of President and peacefully transmitted the powers to Maithripala Sirisena
source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahinda_Rajapaksa
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