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Sri Lanka's president hit by defection

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Uploaded by on Jan 24, 2010

Sri Lanka's president suffered a major defection on Sunday when the matriarch of his party pledged support for the main opposition candidate ahead of Tuesday's fiercely contested election.

Former president Chandrika Kumaratunga met the common opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka, a former army general, and endorsed his bid to oust incumbent Mahinda Rajapakse.

"I took the decision to end four years of silence, as I am deeply concerned about the violence, intimidation and corruption," Kumaratunga told reporters and urged her supporters to vote for Fonseka.

Kumaratunga is a key symbol of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main constituent in the ruling coalition.

The socialist SLFP was founded by her late prime minister father, who was succeeded by his widow, who also went on to become the world's first elected woman premier in 1960. Kumaratunga took over the party in 1993.

Campaigning for Tuesday's presidential election ended Saturday night with both Fonseka and Rajapakse expressing confidence of winning amid a highly personal and bitter contest between the two sides.

The two men were the architects of the government's victory over Tamil Tiger rebels, whose 37-year violent struggle for a Tamil homeland was crushed in May.

Kumaratunga's family has strong support among SLFP activists and her endorsement is seen as a boost to Fonseka, who is backed by the right-wing United National Party as well as the Marxist JVP, or People's Liberation Front.

"Our party has deteriorated in recent years and I see an opportunity to revive it through a change of the present culture of violence, intimidation, corruption and nepotism," she said.

Police and troops impeded journalists attending Kumaratunga's meeting with Fonseka at her ancestral home outside the capital. The media bus was searched by heavily armed troops before it was stopped a second time by police.

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  • CBK Bandit Queen rob the countries money and make the gross national development rate to -1.9 first time in our history.

    Sarath Fonseka's Clan

    Ranil-Who officially gave North and East power to LTTE

    Mano Ganesh-Colombo agent of LTTE

    Hakeem- who sold the muslim rights to LTTE

    Mangala-told SF is not even suitable to lead the salvation army

    TNA and Sambandan-Political mouth piece of LTTE

    JVP-who called general strike later stage of war

    Latest is Chandrika

    Sri lankans are not idiots

  • Bandit Queen-Chora rajini join the traitors

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All Comments (38)

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  • Hora Wesi

  • @wimaldi Give me one allegation of corruption against this woman. Would you like me to give you a list of 'alleged' misappropriations, abuse of power and corruption commited by Mahinda Rajapaksa?

    This woman was the cleanest, not to mention the most conscientous, level headed and just, leader Sri Lanka has ever known and she's going to look pretty good once Rajapaksa screws the country

  • patta vesi

  • fucking bitch ass whore who nearly ruined the nation and robbed millions of public funds rot in hell

  • For whom is she talking? Does she know, while sitting in UK, what is the view of the MAJORITY view in Sri Lanka?

  • @UnitedSinhala Look mate Chandrika bitch Ass is green that's why so many people used it

  • You stupid bitch Kiss my Mexican ass And you should lick all the singhalese asses ........You have no party Bandaaranaayaka is not your Dad your father is BINLARDIN go to hell

  • i like c.b.k because she strengthened women police in sri lanka women started to punish men we were very happy but no women police o.i.cs yet if there are women o.i.c.s we can enjoy male torturing by female police officers i think c.b.k wanted to see sadist women in sri lanka but this failed .c.b.k is beautiful sadist lady i like sadist ladies

  • BITCH!!!!!

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