Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday announced that he would contest the August 17 parliamentary elections.
Speaking to a large crowd in his hometown of Tangalle town, Rajapaksa said he could not reject the request of his supporters to contest, the Daily Mirror reported.
"People's request asking me to contest cannot be ignored,", he said, adding: "Therefore, I will contest the election and continue the development projects and revamp the country's economy."
He also said he would rectify their previous mistakes and approach the people in a more sensitive manner on the journey ahead.
Rajapaksa was Sri Lanka's sixth president. He served from November 2005 to January 2015, when he lost his bid for a third term to Maithripala Sirisena.
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