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Saturday, 8 August 2020 01:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Prime Minister-elect Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday hailed the significant victory of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), insisting that it showed their manifesto could be achieved and pledged to make the win a triumph for the entire country.
The full statement released by Rajapaksa is given below.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has won a magnificent and historic victory in this election. On behalf of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and myself, I wish to offer my gratitude and thanks to all those who placed their faith in us and cast their vote to secure such a historic victory.
I need hardly tell you that this resounding victory is a victory for the country. It is during a time when the entire world is disabled by the COVID-19 pandemic that we placed our faith in the public and decided to conduct this election. More than 70% of the registered voters in this country came to the polling centres and exercised their franchise.
As a country, we must be happy about the public coming forward in a democratic manner to uphold democracy, however difficult the circumstances. There are only a few countries that have taken such a democratic decision and implemented it during a time of such a pandemic. Sri Lanka is such a country. The Election Commission, the health service, the security forces and the Government officers were able to conduct the election by following the WHO guidelines to the letter, to ensure the health and safety of all voters.
The real triumph is born of challenges. By winning the war, and the war on the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as by conducting a successful election such as this, we show the world the strength of our country and its people. This election victory is one that rebuilds the self-confidence of the nation.
The success of this election proves to the world that the ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’ presented by the President in his manifesto can be achieved in this country. We pledge to make this victory a triumph for the entire country.
I offer my thanks to all those who voted in this election: the Election Commission and the security forces who assisted in conducting a successful and peaceful election, all the Government officials, all the media, the election monitors and the general public.
