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The UNP leader, who left his bunker at the Temple Trees official residence for the first time in nearly three weeks to go to parliament, still hailed the vote.
“This is a victory for the people,” Mr Wickremesinghe told reporters, condemning the president’s actions as “illegal”.
He said officials should no longer take orders from the Mr Rajapakse-led “purported government”.
The UNP said that Sirisena must now call on Mr Wickremesinghe to form a new government. UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa said: “For me, he is still the prime minister. Today, democracy prevailed.”
In a chaotic session, 72-year-old Mr Rajapakse and his legislator son Namal walked out of the red-carpeted chamber just before the speaker Karu Jayasuriya called for a vote.
Lawmakers loyal to Rajapakse attempted to grab the mace, the assembly’s symbol of authority, to disrupt the vote, but the speaker pressed ahead.
“The ayes have it,” the speaker announced. “I rule that this House does not have confidence in the government (of Mr Rajapakse).”
Several of Mr Rajapakse’s ministers came out of parliament accusing the speaker of violating parliamentary norms by holding the crucial vote.
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