A family row over a secretary

A male secretary among the personal staff of a prominent female politician has become the cause of a protracted row between her and her husband. 

Keen to demonstrate his party’s strength

A leader of a minor political party is set to convene a national convention of his political party to showcase the party’s strength.

Money talks louder

A billionaire businessman politico hailing from a district north of the hill capital is throwing away peacock notes like mad in a bid to subdue the growing dissent in the area against his political boss.

NGO asked to first put its house in order

As soon as the Right to Information Act came into operation, a certain NGO had sought the details relating to the assets and liabilities of several yahapalanaya heavyweights.

More lunch packets than attendees at the function

Number One in yahapalanaya paid an official visit to Uva to inaugurate a big development project in the province.

Proposed lecture drew their ire

A Blue party conference organized by the former Madam was held in Negombo recently. However, a big commotion created by some invitees marred the proceedings,  they say.

Will it remain a mystery?

The was a big public function held in the premises of a government hospital in the Kegalle area the other day. Number One in yahapalanaya was the chief guest on the occasion.

They fear the collapse could snowball

The threat held out by the pro-JO members of the Western PC to go independent has sent the council’s political high-ups into a panic mode, they say.

Is something cooking?

The former strongman spent a few days in Lion City recently. Reports said that he was on a visit to the city nation for medical consultation and treatment. 

His attributes for the high post challenged

The high posts committee of the Diyawanna council had asked a head of a certain government statutory body connected to marine transport to appear before it following a number of complaints that the latter did not possess even ‘the elementary qualifications’ for the post he was holding. 

A costly mansion at no cost

An affluent purohita holding a key portfolio in yahapalanaya is said to be putting up a big mansion in the Jayawardhanapura area. 

Politico to pay for his secretary’s sins

A prominent politician from the upcountry has become very unpopular among his constituents because of tolerating the antics of his amorous personal secretary, they say.

A seat too hot for even family members

A state-run body handling public transport in a certain province got its fifth successive head since the yahapalanaya took office in 2015. 

They came uninvited and stole the show

A former Deputy from Wayamba recently hosted a political heavyweight in the country to a luncheon at his residence.

Only consolation: Sinhala filth foreign to foreign visitors

There is a well-known bridge that serves as a gateway to the city which received a rare honour once when a celebrated Sinhala drama was named after it. That’s just an aside.  A senior purohita usually conspicuous by his milky white dress the other day took a group of foreign delegates round the ghetto-like shanty area lying under part of this bridge. 

A diplomat due to play a double role

A person with past ties with the department handling law and order is about to get a diplomatic posting to a mid-east country.

Two can make a crowd at certain times

A commemorative ceremony to mark the death anniversary of a onetime prominent Blue party purohita killed in a terrorist bomb attack is due to be held shortly.

Lobby talk on crossovers

Most Diyawanna members usually trade barbs across the floor during debates in the chamber, but when meeting in the council lobby, they greet one another cordially and exchange light-hearted banter forgetting party differences. 

Chastised and quietened?

The disposal of the city garbage had been a perennial problem and the authorities finally decided with the nod of the ‘top two’ in yahapalanaya to bury the garbage on a piece of fallow land in Ja-ela area. 

Memento from one remembered every day

Number One in yahapalanaya recently attended the 50th anniversary celebration of a leading national school in the country.

Seeking emancipation through wealth?

We have heard of business tycoons who count their day’s earnings in terms of millions. But we don’t normally hear of moneyed persons among those who have renounced all pleasures and comforts of lay life. The hero of this story is a cleric belonging to the latter category.

How they have filled hospital labourer vacancies

Two powerful upcountry politicos at provincial level had distributed most hospital labourer appointments in the province to their political supporters.

Rich inmates are windfalls for him

There is a bigwig of a certain state-run lodge for whom admitting a prominent politician or a well- heeled shady character like a drug baron amounts to winning a big lottery prize, they say.

They weighed their worth in gold

During the debate sessions in the august assembly, some members would meet in a quiet corner to enjoy a chit-chat. What they usually talked about are matters pertaining to their private life. 

Son to serve the regime his father slams

The son of this leftist politician, a virulent critic of yahapalanaya is about to be appointed to a very high office in an institution with close ties to a certain Foundation, they say.  

Hotel project stirs up a hornets’ nest

A young talkative Green party state purohita hailing from the Colombo district and well known for his holier-than-thou attitude has launched the construction work on a massive hotel project on the Hantana hill in Kandy.

Garden project under fire from villagers

Number One in yahapalanaya recently opened a sprawling garden featuring a children’s park, a fitness centre and a walking path among a host of other facilities set up on a city suburb. 

Has the politico gone loco?

The politico presiding over the country’s popular game at national level has thrown the functioning of the body controlling the game into a melting pot by becoming a law unto himself, they say.

Blues and Greens in tug o’ war over reshuffle

The Green party is reportedly insisting that the proposed reshuffle of the top team in yahapalanaya be deferred indefinitely and the Blue faction in the government is unhappy over the inordinate delay.

He turned for solace to a more disappointed one

A state purohita had a chance meeting with a former senior purohita at the Diyawanna council lobby the other day.