Mahinda Rajapaksa takes oath as new Prime Minister in Sri Lanka

mode1 mode1 Aug 9, 2020 05:42 1616 0

Mahinda Rajapaksa takes oath as new Prime Minister in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Former President and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in on Sunday morning at the auspicious time as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka’s 9th Parliament before the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amidst Pirith Chanting and blessings by the Maha Sangha at Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara,  a historic Buddhist Temple in Sri Lanka.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, who contested the General Election 2020 from Kurunegala, topped the preferential votes at the district level as well as at national level by clinching a whopping 527,364 votes

The Maha Sangha led by Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara Chief Incumbent Venerable Professor Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangharakkhitha Thera chanted the Jaya Piritha to bless the new Premier, the President and the newly elected members of parliament.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new Premier was attended by the members of the clergy, former president and newly elected MP Maithripala Sirisena, the Governors, First Lady Ayoma Rajapaksa, Mrs. Shiranthi Rajapaksa and family members of Prime Minister Rajapaksa, Commanders of the Tri-forces, newly elected members of parliament, envoys of foreign mission and other distinguished guests.

“I am humbled by the opportunity given to me to serve my people again,”     he wrote on Twitter.

“The trust that Sri Lankans afford me, inspires me to continue serving my nation. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the new Podujana Peramuna government and I will ensure that the country embarks on a progressive journey during our tenure.”

Mahinda Rajapaksa completed 50 years of parliamentary politics in July this year. He was elected as a Member of Parliament at the young age of 24 in 1970.

Mr. Rajapaksa will go down in history as the first ever Sri Lankan to become Prime Minister for four times after serving two terms as the Executive President. First elected as the Prime Minister in 2004, Mr. Rajapaksa was sworn in as the Prime Minister for the second time on October 26, 2018. The third time he was sworn in as the Prime Minister was on November 21, 2019.