Sri Lanka's presidential election is set for Tuesday, January 26th. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is pitted against General Sarath Fonseka who led the military offensive defeating the Tamil Tigers rebels last May.

Tamils are considered an important swing vote, and for the first time in nearly three decades, they will be able to vote without pressure from Tamil Tiger rebels.

President Rajapaksa has called the elections two years before his term expires as he tries to take credit for ending the war. He is backed by the United People's Freedom Alliance, which includes business groups and some minority parties.

General Fonseka is supported by the two main opposition parties, the pro-business United National Party and a Marxist party, whose economic policies are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

The main Tamil party, which earlier backed Tamil Tiger rebels, gave its unanimous support to General Fonseka, hoping to thwart President Rajapaksa's re-election.

The Sri Lankan economy is still struggling to recover from the dual impact of the financial crisis and the civil war.