47Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 48If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. ...
after Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Prime Minister. This preceded his election as President, and had nothing to do, technically, with his later election as President. But it helped him know that he could manipulate.