Exclusive: Mahinda Rajapaksa speaks to NDTV

Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been re-elected for a second term. Speaking exclusively to NDTV's Maya Mirchandani, he said with 58 percent of votes he was not worried about his opponent challenging the result of the election.

Full transcript of the interview:

Joining us in Colombo in his residence is the man of the moment, President Mahinda Rajapaksa who won this presidential election with a thumping majority. President Rajapaksa thank you for giving NDTV some of your time.

NDTV: When you were planning this election, one of the main focuses was working towards a settlement with the Tamil population, in the last election they were not able to vote so they didn't have a voice, so this time are you looking at taking a political settlement with them forward?

Rajapaksa: Yes, I have said I have a plan, am going to hold parliamentary elections they are due in April so after that, with new leaders I will be inviting them to have a dialogue.

NDTV: A lot of Tamil population voted for your opponent will that come in the way your dialogue with them?

Rajapaksa: I mean this is what, now they were deprived of voting for so many years so they got the opportunity to elect anybody. They voted with the opponent or whether they voted with me, the solution must come. That shows they at least have faith in leadership and democracy, its immaterial who the vote was given to. So that is something I wanted. So now it is up to the new leadership so after elections I will invite them to discuss, dialogue, and I will give them my solutions. It is in my manifesto, I will do it.

NDTV: You say it doesn't matter that they voted for your opponent, but your opponent has challenged the result of this election. What do you say to that?

Rajapaksa: Anyone can challenge no, this is all opposition MPs anybody who contests will want to challenge, so they can go to court and challenge. I have no problem.

NDTV: You are not bothered by that?

Rajapaksa: Why should I be? After getting 58 percent of the vote why should I be bothered by all these things?

NDTV: After the end of the war last may sense that western world alienated by your government, sense that even your opponent was propped up by international interests?

Rajapaksa: These are all speculations. If anyone wants to come to Lanka, there is a way of coming here. We invite people. A lot of foreign ministers, delegates have come whether it is from EU or elsewhere.

NDTV: But are Sri Lanka's relations with the west strained right now?

Rajapaksa: As far as I can see I have no problem with them. I don't know whether they have any problem with me. We will have to... if there is any problem we can discuss. And settle all these things. These are all misunderstandings.

NDTV: One of the first people who called to congratulate you was the Indian PM. Now India and Sri Lanka have seen some turbulent times in the past, but the relationship has steadied and become stable. So where do you see your relationship with India headed and where do you see the role of a political settlement with the Tamils figuring in the larger relationship.

Rajapaksa: The political solution is a Sri Lankan model. It should be a Sri Lankan model. The Indian government had always helped us. The constitution - the 13th amendment was an Indian proposal, so it is there in the constitution. So now people think they should get more. So we will have to decide the amount. You must remember any solution given to the Tamils must be endorsed by majority people otherwise it won't work. So this is where I can lead the majority.

And broadly the relationship with India is very helpful. They know this is an internal matter what they want is to help us, we can depend on them as far as I can see.

NDTV: And this is quite apart from the scale of cooperation on other fronts taking place. President Rajapaksa, thank you so much for your time.