Former comrades in arms now in seperate camps (Pix Sudath Silva)

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his former army chief, Gen. Sarath Fonseka, entered the presidential race as rival candidates for the polls due to be held in January.

Both candidates claim glory for the victory over Tamil Tigers six months ago amidst accusations of war crimes during the last phase of the war.

Elections commissioner Dayananda Dissanayaka told journalists on Thursday that nominations of 22 candidates have been accepted.

A Buddhist monk and a Tamil member of parliament are among the largest number of candidates to enter the presidential campaign in Sri Lanka's history of elections.

The polling date to choose the sixth president of Sri Lanka has been fixed for the 26th of January 2010.