ELECTIONS// Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to take oath again after leading his party, the United National Front, to a victory in parliamentary elections, defeating the opposition led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. "Let us together build a civilised society, build a consensual government and create a new country with equal opportunities for everybody," Wickremesinghe said as results from the keenly fought battle for 225 parliament seats showed the UNF inching towards a win. Election officials said Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP), the main constituent of the UNF, had got 93 seats to the 83 of United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) of Rajapaksa.

UNP leaders expressed confidence that it would reach the figure of 113 MPs needed to form the next government with the help of smaller parties. Minister Karu Jayasuriya, who led the election campaign for his party, said the UNF was confident of winning 105-107 seats and secure the help of friendly parties to take office, the media reported. The UPFA's victories came from Sinhalese-majority areas including Hambantota, the bastion of the Rajapaksa family. But the UNF made inroads in districts where Rajapaksa had the upper hand in the January contest.

The main battle was between the UNF led by Wickremesinghe, and the UPFA, which had Rajapaksa as its main candidate, although its leadership is with President Sirisena.