President Mahinda Rajapaksa was today heading for a huge victory in the bitterly-fought Sri Lankan elections as heavily-armed troops ringed the hotel occupied by his rival and former army chief Sarath Fonseka, adding to the tensions surrounding the vote.
Early returns indicated that Rajapaksa had polled 35.6 lakh votes or 60.62 per cent in 114 of the 160 electorates where the initial results were available.
Fonseka is estimated to have polled 20.92 lakh votes accounting for 37.58 per cent.
Rajapaksa's supporters came to the streets in many parts of the country bursting crackers in anticipation of his victory.
As the election trends started coming in, tension soared in the capital as heavily-armed soldiers drove in and surrounded the lake-front luxury hotel in central Colombo, where Fonseka is staying.
Later, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the troops had been deployed following information that army deserters were among 400 people present inside.
"We don't know whether these suspected army deserters are providing security or are associated with Gen (retd.) Sarath Fonseka," Nanayakkara said.
But opposition condemned the army action, with its spokesman saying the trend was "dangerous".
