Gotabaya Rajapaksa Former Sri Lankan defense chief Set to Become President

Sri Lanka's former wartime defense the chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa was set to become the new president after his main rival conceded defeat on Sunday in an election that came months after bombings by Islamist militants threw the country into turmoil.

Housing Minister Sajith Premadasa said in a statement that he would “honor the decision of the people” in polls Saturday favoring Rajapaksa, the civil war-era defense secretary who served under his brother, ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

With over 35% of the polling divisions declared, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, 70, whose brother Mahinda had close ties with Beijing during his 10-year rule, had 48.9% while the ruling alliance candidate Sajith Premadasa was trailing with 44.8%, according to state-run television station Rupavahini, with the rest split among others of the record 35 candidates.

Rajapaksa oversaw the military defeat of Tamil separatists under his brother and then president Mahinda Rajapaksa 10 years ago. He has promised strong leadership to secure the island of 22 million people, the majority of whom are Sinhalese Buddhists.

“It’s a people’s victory. The sound policies he put across have been well received by the people,” said Rajapaksa spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella.

Premadasa, 52, was the candidate for the ruling alliance that had promised more freedom but failed to avert terror attacks that killed more than 250 people in April.

He and his brothers, who are expected to get key positions, are also seen as closer to China, which has invested billions of dollars building ports, expressways and power stations.

Rajapaksa, 70, would be the latest nationalist leader swept to power across the world, tapping into the anger and fears of majority communities.

Harsha de Silva, economic reforms minister in the current government, conceded defeat on behalf of the Premadasa camp. “We have lost this election this country’s message is very clear,” De Silva said on Sunday. “Obviously the Sinhala Buddhist majority is saying we only want racist rule. This country is doomed.”

Tamil political parties are strongly opposed to Rajapaksa, who has faced allegations of widespread human rights violations of civilians in the final stages of the war against the separatists in 2009.

Muslims, the other large minority group, say they too have faced hostility since the April attacks on hotels and churches in which more than 250 people were killed. Islamic State claimed responsibility.

Rajapaksa campaigned on a platform of national security, joining the race just days after the Easter Day attack by Islamic State-group inspired militants killed 269 people.