Colombo, Aug 9 (UNI) Mahinda Rajapaksa, leader of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), took oath as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at a historic Buddhist temple on Sunday.
This is the fourth time Mahinda Rajapaksa secured the Prime Ministerial portfolio
He was sworn-in before President and his younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa this morning at the sacred site of Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, Sri Lankan media reported.
The 74-year-old previously served as President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015. He was the Prime Minister from 2004 to 2005 and then for brief periods in 2018 and 2019.
Mahinda Rajapaksa polled over 500,000 individual preference votes -- the highest ever recorded by a candidate in the history of elections.
The SLPP won in 145 constituencies, bagging a total of 150 seats with its allies, a two-thirds majority in the 225-member Parliament. The cabinet ministers, state and deputy ministers are expected to be sworn-in on Monday.
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