Sri Lankan snap election decision only hours away: minister

COLOMBO, Nov. 20 -- The decision to announce a snap presidential or parliamentary poll in Sri Lanka will be made within a few hours, a senior minister told reporters on Friday.

Dallas Alahapperuma, the minister of transport said the decision would be announced by President Mahinda Rajapakse "in a few hours."

"It is only a matter of few hours now," Alahapperuma said.

Analysts say Rajapakse might call a presidential election two years ahead of the schedule in order to capitalize on his popularity after he crushed the three-decade old separatist campaign of Tamil Tiger rebels.

He became eligible to call a snap presidential election on Wednesday, the fourth anniversary of his induction.

He told his ruling Sri Lankan Freedom Party convention held on Sunday that he would be making the decision in due course.

Rajapakse's plans to call an early election has been upset by the opposition parties' reported attempt to field former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka who was equally respected for military success over the rebels.