Mahinda Rajapakse takes oath as new Lankan PM

The ex-Oppn leader will be heading a hung parliament that was elected after last week's snap polls.

Sri Lanka's former opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse was on Tuesday sworn in as prime minister of a hung parliament elected after last week's snap elections.

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President Chandrika Kumaratunga appointed Rajapakse, 58, from her own Freedom Alliance to lead a minority government, stemming a battle within party ranks for the top post in parliament.

The premier's aides said the left-leaning partner in their Freedom Alliance party, the JVP or People's Liberation Front, had opposed Rajapakse's appointment and instead wanted the job to go to former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Key JVP members boycotted the hurriedly-summoned swearing in ceremony, but a JVP legislator showed up when the ceremony was almost over, witnesses said.