Next Indian Elections

(27 Jan 2010) SHOTLIST
1. Wide of Cinnamon Lake Hotel, where General Sarath Fonseka is staying
2. Various of security around hotel
3. Mahinda Rajapaksa supporters cheering from passing vehicles
4. General Sarath Fonseka walking towards media in hotel corridor
5. Security on street outside hotel where General Fonseka is staying
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rauf Hakeem, member of opposition coalition
"Having come and met with them and discussed the current position and situation, we have decided to officially appeal to the government with regard to the developing situation, which is very alarming, given the posture and the attitude of the soldiers outside."
7. Opposition leaders with media
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rauf Hakeem, member of opposition coalition
"We would like to appeal to the government not to resort to such high handed tactics to intimidate common opposition candidate, who would otherwise be able to participate in the official function organised by the election commissioner this afternoon to release the results officially "
9. Various, security on street outside hotel
10. Mid of man on the street beside firecracker AUDIO: loud bangs as firecracker goes off
11. Wide of people near to firecrackers going off AUDIO: loud bangs as firecracker goes off
12. Mid of women holding up their arms
13. Various of man and woman dancing in the street
14. SOUNDBITE (Singhala) Vox pop, Lional, No last name given:
"Sri Lanka had six presidents but Mahinda Rajapaksa is the only President who stood up to the world community."
15. Pan right of newspaper stand
16. Close up of headline
17. SOUNDBITE (Sinhala) Vox pop, Vikrama, No last name given:
++THERE IS A LOUD BANG DURING SOUNDBITE++
"The President''s victory will lead to a greater victory of our people."
18. Close of a gun held by a soldier on the street
19. Wide of army on the street
STORYLINE:
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has won re-election in a hard-fought race against his former army chief for control of a nation trying to rebuild after a devastating civil war, state television reported on Wednesday.
Both Rajapaksa and Fonseka, who worked together to defeat the Tamil Tiger rebels after 25 years of conflict, were considered war heroes by the
Sinhalese majority.
But Rajapaksa''s powerful political machine - and his alleged use of state resources, especially state media in his campaign - apparently overwhelmed Fonseka''s opposition bid to unseat him in the election on Tuesday.
Rupavahini state television declared Rajapaksa the winner.
It said with most districts counted, Rajapaksa had 5.2 (m) million votes to 3.6 (m) million for Fonseka.
Turnout among the 14 (m) million possible voters was declared to be 70 percent.
Earlier on Wednesday, hundreds of Sri Lankan troops surrounded the Cinnamon Lake Hotel, where the opposition candidate was holed up.
People were seen dancing in the streets of Colombo happy at the early poll results.
But the presence of the troops outside Fonseka''s hotel prompted opposition spokesman Rauf Hakeem, to call on the government "not to resort to such high handed tactics to intimidate common opposition candidate, who would otherwise be able to participate in the official function organised by the election commissioner this afternoon to release the results officially."
Wednesday''s military deployment reflected the tensions surrounding the race between Rajapaksa and his former army commander.
Throughout the campaign, the opposition accused Rajapaksa of plotting to rig the vote and steal the election.
Fonseka himself was unable to vote on Tuesday because he was not registered.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/

You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/099f0e2259839ea7a2cff1196752ceee