Buddhist party leader backs Rajapaksa

Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa regained momentum in his bid for a third term with another leading politician abandoning the opposition to join his campaign on Thursday.

Udaya Gammanpila, a top official from the Buddhist nationalist National Heritage Party, defected from the opposition to become the third leading politician to support Mr. Rajapaksa in the Jan. 8 election.

Mr. Rajapaksa faces his former health minister and ruling party No. 2 Maithripala Sirisena. Mr. Sirisena led a revolt in Mr. Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition, taking with him 11 ministers and lawmakers.

Now it seems Mr. Rajapaksa has managed to reverse some of the damage.