Gotabaya Rajapksa thanks all the people of Sri Lanka

Colombo (News 1st): Born on the 20th of June 1949 Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa was brought up in Weerakatiya Hambantota. His father D.A. Rajapaksa was a prominent character in Sri Lanka's political sphere. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Chamal Rajapaksa, and Basil Rajapaksa are the older brothers of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. A past pupil of Ananda College, Colombo Gotabaya Rajapaksa obtained a degree in information technology from the University of Colombo in the year 1992. A retired military officer, he was appointed as the Defence Secretary of the country in 2005 under the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa. The first challenge that former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa faced was defeating the terrorists in the country at the time he was appointed to office. Against such a backdrop he was once the target of a terrorist attack. After the end of the war in 2009, Gotabaya Rajapaksa laid the foundation for the urban development program in Colombo. President-elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa who gave leadership to the Viyathmaga Organization was named as the Presidential Candidate of the Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna, on the 11th of August this year. After 98 days of political campaigning, Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected as the 7th Executive President of Sri Lanka. President-elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa is scheduled to be sworn in at the Ruwanweli Maha Seya in Anuradhapura tomorrow (November 18). The President-elect spoke to media following the meeting at the National Election Commission in the afternoon.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa: I thank all the people of Sri Lanka. Journalist: You won with a huge margin. People have placed their trust in you. Gotabaya Rajapaksa: I will uphold that trust as it is. Journalist: Will you swear in tomorrow? Gotabaya Rajapaksa: Yes.

The leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna also spoke to the media today (November 17).

Mahinda Rajapaksa: I think we should move forward without breaking that trust. Journalist: The President-elect will be swearing-in tomorrow. Mahinda Rajapaksa: Yes. He is hoping to do it in Anuradhapura tomorrow. Journalist: Will you swear in as the Prime Minister? Mahinda Rajapaksa: No. There's no such thing yet. Journalist: You are the Opposition Leader and your brother is the President. What do you think? Mahinda Rajapaksa: It shows the trust we have won. Journalist: What do you have to say to the people of Sri Lanka? Mahinda Rajapaksa: We must thank the people for making this decision. They chose someone who has the strength to maintain peace among the communities and reconcile the religions in the country and move forward.

A large number of people gathered opposite the National Election Commission, congratulated the President-elect.