In The Spotlight: Return of Rajapaksa clan in Sri Lanka

Published on 27-Nov-2019

Khushboo Razdan

"I am not sure whether I'll be a good politician. The former president [Mahindra Rajapaksa] always says that I do not understand politics… But Donald Trump has come from business. We have to see," said Gotabaya Rajapaksa while addressing a gathering of Colombo-based international journalists in 2017.

In less than three years after making this statement, on November 18, 2019 he was sworn-in as the seventh president of Sri Lanka by securing 52.25 percent of the vote, marking the return of the Rajapaksa family to power.

"The new president has decided not to move into the presidential palace… He does not believe in pomp and show. The presidential palace will only be used for official ceremonies; he's also cut down his cavalcade and extra security," Nitin Gokhale, editor-in-chief of Strategic News International (SNI) who's covered Sri Lanka for over 13 years, told CGTN Digital.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa greets supporters after winning the presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, November 17, 2019. /VCG Photo

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