Quotes
People have given them a strong mandate. I am hopeful that the NPP will use this mandate to uplift the country from the present pathetic situation,
he said
The Tamil parties were divided and contested separately, and as a result the Tamil people's representation is scattered,
he saidWe have very well understood the weight of this victory. The people have placed immense trust on us and we must keep that trust,
he saidThe president has a huge mandate now to carry through the reforms but also huge expectations from the people,
said Bhavani Fonseka, a researcher at Colombo's Centre for Policy Alternatives
We think it is unlikely that Dissanayake is emboldened by this sweeping victory to unveil a market-unfriendly set of policies that might be truer to his Marxist roots,
Tellimer Insights said in an analyst note
The era of dividing and setting one community against the other has ended as people are embracing the NPP,
Dissanayake, the NPP leader, said
We see this as a critical turning point for Sri Lanka. We expect a mandate to form a strong parliament, and we are confident the people will give us this mandate,
Dissanayake said after casting his vote on Thursday
We believe that this is a crucial election that will mark a turning point in Sri Lanka,
Dissanayake told reporters after voting at a polling station in the capital