President Mahinda Rajapaksa attends a press conference after winning the LG elections

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa greets the supporters gathered outside after attending a press briefing at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Head Office Colombo, Sri Lanka on Monday 12 February 2018 Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Rajapaksa's newly formed political party, managed to secure a landslide victory in the concluded Local Government Election defeating the two main parties ruling the government. Rajapaksa called for a snap general election claiming that the current government has lost people's mandate. (Photo by Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images)