Sri Lanka's strongman president voted out after a decade

Presidential candidate Mithripala Sirisena waves at his supporters as he leaves after casting his vote for the presidential election in Polonnaruwa January 8, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa lost his bid for a third term on Friday, ending a decade of rule that critics say had become increasingly authoritarian and marred by nepotism and corruption.

Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena, a one-time ally of Rajapaksa who defected in November and derailed what the president thought would be an easy win, took 51.3 percent of the votes polled in Thursday's election. Rajapaksa got 47.6 percent, the Election Department said.