On a bad pitch again!

The sports purohita and the one presiding over the popular game had an encounter with the political scion of the Giruwapattu political dynasty in the council lobby the other day. 

Making hay while the Sun shines

A political high-up in yahapalanaya is making a bid to acquire a big building that stands in the heart of the city of Sri Dalada.

Peace issue gives them no peace

Constant peace overtures being made by the interested sections of the Blue party have led to a new burst of infighting in the JO group, they say.

Opinion poll puts him in a bad light

A key purohita in yahapalanaya had recently conducted an opinion poll to measure the popularity of the Blue party in Rajarata. 

They are to call his bluff

A brag made by a purohita that the ‘JO guys’ would be treated to a good body massage if they visited the estate sector for politicking has triggered a sensation in political circles. 

All is fair in love and election time

This top team member who made it to Diyawanna council from the gem-rich district is known to be one not usually given to angry outbursts. However, the politico took his supporters on the home turf by surprise the other day when he launched a broadside at a character known as ‘Paala ’at a public rally. 

Losing face by backing a lost cause

A Green party purohita who recently secured an audience with Number One expressed his unhappiness over blocking a particular news website. 

An ounce of political clout is worth more than a pound of diligence

This individual, an additional secretary to a key Ministry has been batting in the present post for the past 15 years at a stretch, they say.

Campaign humour

A verbal duel being carried out in public by a certain chief provincial purohita and a former Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman is reportedly providing much amusement to the people in the province these days, they say.

Making money the easy way

This character, a sidekick of a soldier-turned politico, now a purohita, is reportedly diddling money from unsuspecting people by promising them job opportunities in a State sector statutory body. 

An artful artiste

We have often heard about billionaire-businessmen in our country. But has anyone heard about a billionaire-artiste here?

Didn’t want to head into dangerous territory

A news-piece that went viral recently said Number One and Number Two held a one-on-one, four-hour deliberation behind closed doors in an evening a few days ago at the former’s official residence and the views they exchanged on several serious issues generated much heat leading to a fiery verbal duel.

Then and now

The ‘doctor’ from Ruhuna who founded a new political party recently had received a telephone call from a leading politician with whom once he had close political ties. In fact, this VIP caller was the power behind him in his heyday in politics.

He has decided to quit at long last

Diyawanna members would meet in the lobby to have a friendly chat or to have a laugh over some tit-bits floating around whenever they get a break from their day’s work. There are times when some of them come out with even top state secrets by way of amusing anecdotes at these gossip sessions.

He proved no permanent pals or foes in politics

JO stalwart Panchaudha of ‘Fast-unto-death’ fame had a surprise the other day when he got a telephone call from the purohita who was at the centre of the recent oil fiasco.

They are keen to go it alone

Big guns of the Green party are said to be looking into the possibility of forming a government of their own following the expiration of the Green-Blue unity agreement come December. 

He was pulled up over oil crisis

During the recent oil crisis, the people in long queues at filling stations hurling abuse at the government and name-calling the bigwigs in yahapalanaya was a commonplace occurrence. 

Why the placid one got so ruffled

The roly-poly Blue senior from Uva stole the scene at the recently held Betel leaf special conference boycotted by the JO when he launched a scathing attack on the top team mate dental doctor, they say.

Cousin tried to run the show in his absence

The Green party leader had recently given a severe dressing-down to a purohita holding a high post in the party. 

Furious over the honour denied

A provincial council administration has decided not to mention any name other than that of the chief guest in their invitation cards or commemorative plaques in future.

Age-old excuse riled him

This purohita once held high office.  He had the other day tried to phone a colleague in the top team for an urgent matter and had abused in choice Sinhala the colleague’s aide when the latter had given the stock reply: “Sir is at a conference!” every time he called.

Living up to the term, ‘political appointee’

This political appointee heading a key establishment in the education sector has reportedly outsourced the janitorial services in three institutions coming under his purview to a firm he has a stake in. 

Charity begins at home

This is a well-known case of nepotism in the public sector. Tenders worth billions for construction projects are often called. Many apply. But every tender is awarded at the end of the day to a relative of a very high political authority!

Angling instead of netting

Three members from yahapalanaya crossed over to the JO during the past few months.  However, Tikiri, the rebel from Wayamba, who was the first to make a big noise about their decision to quit the government, stays put as quietly as a mouse.

Testing the waters, the diplomatic way

A Colombo-based envoy from a powerful neighbouring country paid an informal visit to the Hambantota area the other day, they say.

The one left behind laments

Number One in yahapalanaya recently paid an official visit to Qatar, the country in the Mid-East much in the news these days.

No more wining and dining to win hearts and minds

The Green leader gave a severe warning to a onetime high flier from a city-based stronghold the other day, they say.

They are to take up cudgels for allowing ‘alien presence’

Diyawanna members from both sides of the great divide evinced an unusual get-up and go in the recent debate on the Constitutional Steering Committee proposals. 

Hooking by hook or by crook

The hooking game so far confined to the main political parties has made its way to some minor political parties as well, they say.

Opening up new colonies to expand his empire

A yahapalanaya purohita has taken the initiative to open up new colonies in the Mannar area and some of them are named after some foreign countries, they say.