Rajapaksa said in a statement that the victory of his party in Thursday's elections encourages the government's policies on "peace and reconciliation, reconstruction, greater infrastructure development." "We are humbled by the size of the repeated mandates given by the people and pledge to respond, in full measure, to the trust placed in us," he said.
Rajapaksa's party had 128 members in the outgoing Parliament and it won successive provincial elections, riding on Rajapaksa's popularity following the end of a decades-long civil war that culminated in his resounding re-election in presidential polls three months ago.
With 45 seats still undeclared, Rajapaksa's United People's Freedom Alliance has secured 117 seats in Thursday's election - past the 113 required seats to get a simple majority and form a government. Its closest rival United National Front has 46 seats. So far, results for 180 seats have been declared.
Results for 16 seats were withheld pending a revote after reports of intimidation and fraud, and 29 slots are allotted to parties according to their percentage of votes gained.
It is uncertain whether Rajapaksa's coalition can secure the two-thirds majority needed to change the constitution - which could open the way for an amendment to allow the president to serve beyond the end of his second term in 2017.
An opposition party led by defeated presidential candidate and former army chief Sarath Fonseka - who is under detention awaiting court-martial - has won five seats, the Election Department said.
Soon after his presidential defeat, Fonseka was arrested on allegations he planned his political career while still in uniform.
Opponents accuse President Rajapaksa of stifling dissent, encouraging cronyism and corruption and trying to establish a family dynasty. Two of Rajapaksa's brothers and a son were candidates for Parliament.
But he is a hero to many ethnic Sinhalese for defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels last year following a civil war that killed 80,000-100,000 people.
A party of the ethnic Tamil minority received 12 seats from its stronghold in the northeast, the Election Department said.
