Sri Lanka's political outlook shaky, whoever wins knife-edge election

Sri Lanka's common presidential candidate Mithripala Sirisena gestures as he leaves his party's office after addressing the nation at the office in Colombo January 5, 2015. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

COLOMBO (Reuters) - In a measure of how far Thursday's presidential election in Sri Lanka has become a knife-edge contest, diplomats here have been checking the rules in case of a dead heat: according to a 1981 act, the rival candidates would draw lots to settle on a winner.

Until very recently, few would have predicted such uncertainty, not least President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who called the election two years early, confident that - despite his waning popularity - he could win an unprecedented third term.