Mahinda sworn in as 13th Prime Minister

Leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as the 13th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya yesterday.

Rajapaksa served two terms as the Executive President from 2005 to 2015.

Completing five decades in active politics, Rajapaksa entered Parliament in 1970 and played a pivotal role as a Cabinet Minister during 1994-2004 period.

First elected as the Prime Minister in 2004, Rajapaksa was sworn in as the Prime Minister for a second time on October 26, 2018. The third time he was sworn in as the Prime Minister was on November 21, 2019.

During his 10-year tenure as the Executive President, Rajapaksa was able to eradicate terrorism and launched a large number of development projects.

Contesting the recently-concluded general election from Kurunegala District, Rajapaksa received a record-breaking 527,364 preferential votes, the highest number of votes a candidate has ever received in the country.

Rajapaksa will go down in history as the first ever Sri Lankan to become a two-time President and four-time Prime Minister.

The Maha Sangha chanted Seth Pirith and invoked blessings on the new Prime Minister, the President, the newly elected MPs and the country.

Later, the President and Prime Minister engaged in religious observances at the historical temple

At the conclusion of the ceremony both the President and Prime Minister greeted the public gathered in the precincts of the temple.

The Maha Sangha and other religious leaders, Governors, Secretary to the President, members of the diplomatic corps, newly elected members of Parliament of SLPP and other parliamentarians who extend their support to the new government and family members were also present on the occasion.