Timeline of key events

Here is a timeline of events leading up to the standoff that could see former president Mahinda Rajapakse return to power:

2015 January 8:

Rajapakse loses a presidential election to Maithripala Sirisena, after a decade in power during which he ended a brutal war with Tamil separatists amid allegations of war crimes.

His term was also tainted by corruption accusations. The 72-year-old denies any wrongdoing.

August:

Rajapakse becomes the first Sri Lankan former president to return as a member of parliament following an election.

But his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is beaten into second place by Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party, dashing his hopes of becoming prime minister.

2018 February 10:

The coalition between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe is fragile from day one, with political divisions and economic difficulties helping Rajapakse’s SLFP faction score a spectacular victory in local elections. Rajapakse’s party immediately demands new national elections.

August 24:

A special anticorruption court launches a case against Rajapakse’s former chief of staff who is accused of siphoning off $3 million (Dh11 million) from a construction deal.

Two of the former president’s three sons are also accused of graft. Tens of thousands of his supporters gather in Colombo on September 5 demanding new elections and five days later Rajapakse holds talks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

October:

Out of the blue but under growing pressure, President Sirisena sacks coalition ally Wikremesinghe as prime minister and installs Rajapakse. With Wickremesinghe resisting his ouster, the move plunges Sri Lanka into deep turmoil likely to end up in bitter court challenges, with a presidential election due in 2019 and legislative polls the following year.