The President made the appeal in Sinhalese as he referred to himself as the "known devil" while addressing an election rally in Jaffna.

"We gave you electricity, we gave you new schools. We will also be providing you with water service", President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

He claimed that his main rival Maithripala Sirisena had no interest in the welfare of the people in the north and was not a person who visits them.

The President also addressed meetings in Vavuniya and Mannar.