The report, released on Dec. 27, has focused on a sample of around 1,000 persons covering all districts except the Northern province. 

 

The reports cites that Maithripala Sirisena will win the election with a majority of 200,000 votes with 28% of those who voted for President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 2010 presidential election now deciding to vote for Maithripala instead.

 

In addition, 11% of those who voted for President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 2010 presidential election are yet undecided, the report adds.

 

However, the 38% of mandate of first-time voters goes to Rajapaksa while Sirisena has secured only 33%. The remaining percentage remains undecided on a candidate.

 

The research, is mainly based on the Sinhalese vote base and it has been assumed that the Tamil and Muslim votes will be divided equally among the two main contenders.

 

Also, the report says that 13-15% remain undecided on whether they will exercise their franchise.

 

The research is done by a team led by Dr. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan and Dr. D.S. Jayaweera.