All sides look for a winning formula in the stars

COLOMBO: While the end of Sri Lanka's 37-year civil war has shaped today's presidential election, celestial alignments and astrologers have exerted huge influence on the contest behind the scenes.

The decision to call the snap poll, the exact date of voting and the emergence of opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka can all be traced to the star-gazers who hold enormous sway in political circles.

Their forecasts are seen as more reliable than opinion polls in a country where many politicians have personal astrologers and births and weddings are seen as guided by planetary positions.