国际英语新闻:Sri Lankan opposition candidate wins presidential polls: elections chief

COLOMBO, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Elections Chief Mahinda Deshapriya on Sunday afternoon confirmed that opposition candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the presidential elections.

Addressing the media shortly after releasing the final results, Deshapriya said Rajapaksa gained a higher percentage of votes than his opponents in the presidential polls, which concluded on Saturday.

"Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa who contested from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, under the lotus bus symbol has won the elections and will be the next president of Sri Lanka," Deshapriya said.

Rajapaksa gained over 6.9 million or 52.25 percent of the votes, defeating his opponent Sajith Premadasa from the ruling party, who gained over 5.5 million or 41.99 percent of the votes.

Rajapaksa's party said in a statement that he will be sworn in as president on Monday morning in Anuradhapura, a city about 200 km from the capital Colombo.