Sri Lanka wartime defence chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa launches presidential bid

FILE PHOTO: Sri Lanka's former defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa waves after he was nominated as a candidate for the presidential election during the Sri Lanka People's Front party convention in Colombo, Sri Lanka August 11, 2019. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's main opposition party named a hardline former defence chief as its presidential candidate on Sunday, seeking to capitalise on public clamour for a decisive leader after deadly Easter day bombings.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 70, served under his older brother, ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa, and is widely seen as the frontrunner in a presidential election that must be held before Dec 9.