<p class="title">Sri Lankan strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was appointed prime minister in a controversial move by President Maithripala Sirisena, on Sunday ended his five-decade-long association with the SLFP and joined the newly-formed Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP).</p>.<p class="bodytext">Rajapaksa's move signalled that he would contest the snap polls, to be held on January 5, under his own party banner and not that of Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The former president obtained the membership of the SLPP, launched by his supporters, Sunday morning.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His father Don Alwin Rajapaksa was a founding member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, which was formed in 1951.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The SLPP was formed last year by Rajapaksa's supporters to create a platform for his re-entry into politics. The party in February's local council election won two-third of the total 340 seats.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 72-year-old strongman, who ruled Lanka for a decade from 2005, was unexpectedly defeated by his deputy, Sirisena, in the presidential election held in January 2015 with the support from Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP).</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, the power-sharing arrangement between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe became increasingly tenuous on several policy matters, especially on economy and security.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Finally, on October 26, Sirisena abruptly ousted Wickremesinghe and replaced him with Rajapaksa, after three-and-a-half years of an estranged relationship with him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The island nation plunged into a constitutional crisis following the move.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>READ</strong><strong> MORE</strong></p>.<p class="bodytext"><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/sri-lanka-president-sacks-702284.html" target="_blank"><strong>Lankan crisis deepens as president calls snap election</strong></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/rajapaksa-has-support-113-mps-701755.html" target="_blank"><strong>Rajapaksa has 113 MPs to prove premiership: Sirisena</strong></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/tamil-prisoners-may-be-701536.html" target="_blank"><strong>Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa may release Tamil prisoners</strong></a></p>.<p class="bodytext">Sirisena had suspended parliamentary proceedings until November 16. Later, owing to domestic and international pressure, he issued a notice to reconvene parliament on November 14.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, on Friday, Sirisena dissolved parliament and announced snap polls on January 5 next year after it became evident that he did not have enough support in the House to prove the premiership of Rajapaksa.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Rajapaksa needed the support of minimum 113 parliamentarians in the 225-member House to prove his majority.</p>
<p class="title">Sri Lankan strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was appointed prime minister in a controversial move by President Maithripala Sirisena, on Sunday ended his five-decade-long association with the SLFP and joined the newly-formed Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP).</p>.<p class="bodytext">Rajapaksa's move signalled that he would contest the snap polls, to be held on January 5, under his own party banner and not that of Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The former president obtained the membership of the SLPP, launched by his supporters, Sunday morning.</p>.<p class="bodytext">His father Don Alwin Rajapaksa was a founding member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, which was formed in 1951.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The SLPP was formed last year by Rajapaksa's supporters to create a platform for his re-entry into politics. The party in February's local council election won two-third of the total 340 seats.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 72-year-old strongman, who ruled Lanka for a decade from 2005, was unexpectedly defeated by his deputy, Sirisena, in the presidential election held in January 2015 with the support from Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP).</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, the power-sharing arrangement between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe became increasingly tenuous on several policy matters, especially on economy and security.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Finally, on October 26, Sirisena abruptly ousted Wickremesinghe and replaced him with Rajapaksa, after three-and-a-half years of an estranged relationship with him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The island nation plunged into a constitutional crisis following the move.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><strong>READ</strong><strong> MORE</strong></p>.<p class="bodytext"><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/sri-lanka-president-sacks-702284.html" target="_blank"><strong>Lankan crisis deepens as president calls snap election</strong></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/rajapaksa-has-support-113-mps-701755.html" target="_blank"><strong>Rajapaksa has 113 MPs to prove premiership: Sirisena</strong></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/tamil-prisoners-may-be-701536.html" target="_blank"><strong>Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa may release Tamil prisoners</strong></a></p>.<p class="bodytext">Sirisena had suspended parliamentary proceedings until November 16. Later, owing to domestic and international pressure, he issued a notice to reconvene parliament on November 14.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, on Friday, Sirisena dissolved parliament and announced snap polls on January 5 next year after it became evident that he did not have enough support in the House to prove the premiership of Rajapaksa.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Rajapaksa needed the support of minimum 113 parliamentarians in the 225-member House to prove his majority.</p>