May 12, Colombo: Sri Lanka's main opposition United National party (UNP) today said the Eastern Provincial Council poll was marred by violence and it would launch a mass campaign until the government restore democracy.

The opposition rejected poll results saying it was tainted by vote tampering and intimidation.

Ruling party United Freedom Party Alliance (UFPA) got a majority winning 20 out of the 37 seats at Saturday’s polls in the Eastern Province.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa hailed the victory as a mandate for the government’s policy of restoring democracy and normalcy to areas previously controlled by the Tiger rebels.

Opposition leader, Ranil Wickremasinghe said his party in alliance with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress would launch a mass campaign asking the government to overturn the election.

"We will launch a mass campaign ... and will continue it until democracy is restored," he said.

“This is a totally distorted mandate that they got. This is obtained by fraud,” SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem said. He said they are collecting evidence to file a suit to overturn the election.

Dismissing SLMC leader’s remarks Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the government would welcome such litigation because the government can then prove before the court that the elections were free and fair.

Head of the People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Kingsley Rodrigo said that they received 83 complaints yesterday of voter intimidation by the pro-government breakaway rebel party TMVP.

Political analysts say the opposition is bitter about losing yet another election.