A clown seeking a crown!

The descendant of Dutugemunu now set to stage a comeback to politics through the Green Party is busy with the spade work to launch a Sangha Balavegaya, they say.

Inspired by favourable stars the defiant one is to stand pat!

There are two purohitas in Yahapalanaya who openly supported the recent ‘no confidence motion’ bid which was to become a non-event later. 

Yet another mansion!

A grand mansion set in a landscape of scenic beauty coming up in the upcountry is a main topic among the people in the Nuwara-eliya District these days. 

He said it when he could be frank!

A high society group was seen relaxing by the swimming pool of a five-star hotel in the city the other day. 

The Chief One is a secret backer of the planned ouster!

A move is afoot to oust the Western Provincial purohita handling the subject of Education through a no confidence motion.

Now a mansion

A gabby purohita, who by the way got into hot water for shooting off his mouth once is reportedly putting up a mansion on a sprawling eight-acre prime property bought by him recently. 

Rs. 6 mn new reception counter raises eyebrows

A purohita who has taken over a new ministry has given the nod for constructing a new reception counter at an estimated cost of Rs.6 million to replace the existing counter despite it being still in good condition. 

Did Santa Claus finance her children’s foreign tour?

A lady in charge of ‘cash payments’ in a state-owned business establishment had made an extensive tour in a foreign country together with her children.

Ambitious newcomer shown the door

A well-known actor-turned politico at provincial level made news when he defected to another political party recently.

Novel ruse to make the ‘not me’ claim’

A certain ministry bigwig known to be a political appointee is deliberately changing his signature when signing official documents, they say. 

They refuse to board a sinking ship

The JO stalwart from Rajarata ‘Chandra’ clan who was hardly heard of after being shorn of his purohita status has become a busy body in the political scene these days, they say.

Cornered one to expose another actor in the drama

A move is afoot to expose yet another actor in the Treasury bond drama. 

It was a show staged by grateful ones

Most Diyawanna Greens, big and small, advised the former foreign affairs one to quit with grace.

Independent Commission bigwig abuses his official clout

There is an independent Commission set up under the Constitutional provisions to ensure that appointments, promotions, disciplinary action etc. of a department responsible for maintaining law and order in the country are done free from political or other interference.  So naturally the general public expect this Commission to be manned by persons of unquestionable integrity and moral rectitude. 

Lady’s message ends his intransigence

A former controversial Purohita, at the very outset looked set to hold on to his portfolio come hell or high water despite mounting pressure to resign with grace.  Even his own party bigwigs had told him in no uncertain terms to go - and the sooner he quit, the better for his own health and that of the party. 

Son refuses to climb the ‘greasy pole’

A recent news story said a scion of a well-known political family was being groomed for a role in national politics by his illustrious mother. Taking a cue from this story, a party leader hailing from a political family in the upcountry estate sector too has made a bid to bring his son to the national political scene. 

Bid to buy media outfit through a proxy?

A story coming down the grapevine says that a Malaysian investor set to buy a leading media institution in the country is here now to negotiate the deal.

Demonstrating intimacy in public

There is a certain purohita who is considered a close confidant of a very high political authority. And now it has become an unofficially recognized practice to reserve for this purohita a seat next to that of the high political authority at all official public functions.

Necessity knows no law

The Buddhist Association of the yahapalanaya nerve centre had taken the initiative to conduct a religious programme and its office-bearers were putting the final touches to their arrangements when the white-collar high-ups of the place had taken over the task of holding the programme pushing those involved in organizing the event to the background. 

He wanted to hog the publicity

A deputy had invited a senior top team purohita to attend as the chief guest a ceremony organized to mark the unveiling of a monument put up in honour of his mother. 

They want to be guided by stars

Several prominent star-gazers in the country are having a heyday now, they say. You have guessed right! Most of their clients are politicos from both sides of the divide. 

Is he minting money?

A story that had gone viral says that there is a Buddhist monk who regularly deposits big money in a private vault in a leading commercial bank. 

He claims his prayers were answered

Intriguing stories about a purohita now at the centre of a multi-billion scam are galore these days. 

Foes in the day turn guests in the night

Number One in yahapalanaya said in public the other day that there are several JO Diyawanna members calling on him regularly under the cover of night.

A dark horse to enter the race

Picking twhe most suitable person as their presidential candidate has now become a burning question for the JO activists, they say.

“Politicians are good actors”

People in Jaffna were in for a great surprise the other day when they saw their mild-mannered soft spoken governing one of the province dressed in Police uniform giving orders to his Police subordinates seated opposite a leading hotel. 

How the opponents were outmaneuvered

Some yahapalanaya high-ups these days’ recount with great relish how they managed to sign the controversial Hambantota port lease agreement in a relatively calm atmosphere after outmaneuvering opposition political forces who were raring to create a hullabaloo to mar the big event.

He wanted the temple to be part of his bastion

A leading politico had requested the Viharadhipati of a historic Buddhist temple that holds a colourful annual perahera pageant that he be appointed the President of the temple’s Dayaka Sabha. 

Cussedness of an upstart

A white-collar one elevated to the status of a Ministry secretary thanks to the blessing of a high political authority only six months on in new office, has made six foreign trips at public expense. 

Political appointees run the show

Some minor employees of a government hospital located in an area named after a jungle are said to be harassing and scolding the indoor patients. These employees, mostly male attendants who happen to be political appointees, behave in a cavalier manner with a callous disregard for the self-respect of the indoor patients, they say.