Rumours about Minister Maithripala

Rumours circulating round Minister Maithripala

Many rumours are circulating after President Mahinda Rajapaksha issued instructions yesterday to the Elections Commissioner to conduct the elections.

In the process, the strongest topic is the rumour that the Senior Minister of the SLFP Maithripala Sirisena is to leave the Government to contest as the Common Candidate of the Opposition against Mahinda Rajapaksha.

It is the view of some that the name of the Common Candidate was kept as a secret by the opposition until the last moment because of this very reason.

When inquiring into these matters, the response of Minister Maithripala was not clear. He smiled on certain occasions and said that those were only rumours.

A meeting that the Minister was expected to be present at about 10 this morning at Apegama location in Battaramulla did not take place; but he had gone there late for the reason that the President had summoned his presence.

A rumour that the President was to give a 'big chair' to Minister Maithripala also circulated. The Minister made a speech to hand over 1000 appointment letters to a group of non-technical health workers and this is how the Minister finished off his speech to them: "Having worked for almost 5 years as Minister of Health, I am happy to get together with you on this occasion. I wish to say that especially because of that I would dedicate myself in serving you even better than today .... in the future always, having got together with you in happiness during this period .... particularly on behalf of your future .... and specially on behalf of the country belonging to you and my country".

A rumour has spread that the Minister Maithripala is to attend a press briefing with stalwarts of the Government and that he is to announce his resignation from the Party.

In the meantime, as it was learned that the Minister had reserved a space for a meeting at the New Town Hall in Colombo under another's name and that it was scheduled at 10 o'clock for which reason local and foreign media personnel had visited the place were disappointed as he had not come. Later it was found that it had been scheduled at 1 o'clock and not at 10.

Another piece of news said that if Minister Maithripala was to leave the Government together with over 20 others, he would definitely be given the position of Common Candidate.
Whatever it is, all this talk is still only 'rumours'.