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[kuruvikal]

<b>Opposition wins Sri Lankan vote</b>

<img src='http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39736000/jpg/_39736805_chandrika_ap203b.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>

President Kumaratunga's rivals could now control the parliamentary agenda
A candidate from the main Sri Lankan opposition party has been voted in as speaker in the new parliament.
Correspondents say the election of former Justice Minister WJM Lokubandara is a setback for the new government led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Mr Lokubandara secured the key post by 110 votes against the 109 votes won by the government candidate for the job.

<b>Abuse shouted </b>

The BBC's Frances Harrison in Colombo says that the opposition triumphed after nine hours of chaos and after three separate votes.

The first voted ended in a tie and the second in confusion.

Our correspondent says that MPs shouted abuse at one another, and at one point a government MP sat on the ballot box to stop the opposition from voting. He was surrounded by other government MPs sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"We did not expect this kind of bad behaviour in parliament," monk MP Athuraliya Ratana told the AFP news agency.

The president's failure to install her chosen speaker means that the opposition now controls the agenda in parliament, deciding when to table legislation and with the power to delay government business.

The government had been counting on the support of right wing Buddhist MPs in the vote, but many of them abstained after their choice for speaker was rejected.

We did not expect this kind of bad behaviour in parliament

Buddhist monk MP Athuraliya Ratan

After the results of the ballot were announced, Mr Lokubandara was escorted to the chair and was immediately sworn in as speaker of the 13th parliament of Sri Lanka.

"I thank both sides of the house," he said, to applause from the opposition and silence from the government benches.

Our correspondent says the outcome of the vote is not a good start for the new government of President Kumaratunga, whose coalition earlier this month won 105 of the 225 seats in parliament.

The president sacked the last government which had a majority in an attempt to put her own party in charge of parliament and bring more political stability.

But our correspondent that now looks increasingly unlikely.

bbc.com