They are anxious over their political future

Several Betel leaf purohitas in yahapalanaya are living in a state of intense anxiety over their political future, they say.

Being helpless, they now decide to mark time

The purohita handling foreign affairs is an unhappy man these days because high political authorities in yahapalanaya keep on making announcements running counter to the promises held out to certain foreign countries which are keen on granting economic and other aid to this country.

Romantic escapade ends in a narrow escape

A story doing the rounds in political circles these days tells how a young purohita who was having a tryst with the comely better half of a senior one of his tribe at the latter’s residence had escaped from being caught red-handed in the nick of time.

“Employees at party head office were paid from liquor bar earnings”

Some Diyawanna members owning liquor outlets are highly irked by the ongoing debate over the propriety of issuing bar licences to their tribe. What they cannot really stomach is the holier-than-thou attitude of their own colleagues, they say.

Foreign training stints a bonanza for them

The bigwigs of the statutory body providing light to the people are said to be making visits to the land of the Dragon purportedly for training stints on a regular basis and these so-called training programmes are a veritable windfall for them, they say.

Story about a sanctimonious politico and a bar license

This political heavyweight very often emphasizes, from public platforms, the need for a righteous society with a high standard of morality. 

Unhappy Blue one turning Green?

A Betel leaf bigwig in yahapalanaya has begun gravitating towards the Green party, they say.

He puts his foot down against tax discrimination

A powerful purohita in yahapalanaya received summons from a Big Boss recently.

Family member wooed in the last ditch peace move

Another team of peace makers from the Betel leaf leadership has swung into action to make yet another bid to patch up the yawning differences among the party’s front-liners threatening to split the party right down the middle, behind–the-scene sources say.

Her taste for interior décor costs the exchequer a tidy sum

A fair one, an expert at reading the heavenly maps was appointed to a very high office in the upcountry recently.

Back in the scene, she wants to have her way and say

A onetime powerful lady who was keeping a low profile for some time is back in the scene and is taking a hand in the state affairs in a big way, they say.

“Let the one in office carry on. Try your luck next time”

The Big Boss who chaired the regular meeting of the main decision-making body last week was about to leave at the conclusion of the day’s business when a certain purohita who had been making sensational news in the recent past approached him and asked him whether he could spare a few minutes for him. The Big Boss readily acquiesced.  

He stirs up a hornets’ nest

Betel leaf organizers and activists in a certain electorate in Wayamba organized a party meeting recently.

He proves that everyone at his post is a king

A certain uniformed bigwig in the Defense establishment was among those who had received summons to attend a special high-powered conference at the nerve-centre of yahapalanaya. 

Well-meant act costs him his life

A villager who climbed a coconut tree to pluck a ‘thambili’ nut to quench the thirst of a fair purohita had fallen to his death.

He was beaten at his own game

It was a major construction project. Documents relating to the awarding of the contract were cut and dry and the two parties involved -- the government authority and the ‘successful tenderer’ had only to sign on the dotted lines. 

He pays back with the same coin

A deputy purohita who had planned to make a foreign trip soon after his previous jaunt, paid a courtesy call on his senior purohita on the eve of his departure.

No need for them to apply for leave

Sports instructors at the sports division of a higher education institution in the city have hit upon a novel ruse to mark their attendance even when they keep away from work. They resort to this ploy with the connivance of the acting head of their division who has risen from their ranks, they say.

He avoided the dreaded encounter in the nick of time

A loquacious purohita from the hills who arrived at the Asgiriya Rajamaha Viharaya to pay his last respects to the Maha Nayake who passed away recently was about to enter the temple premises when he casually inquired  from a bystander who were the VIPs already inside the temple. The bystander replied that the former Loku Mahattaya was the only VIP present inside at the time.

“Disreputable duo were his undoing”

This Betel leaf one hailing from Sabaragamuwa is a senior purohita, who, nevertheless, remains a die-hard loyalist of the former boss.

“All-powerful deity is the real owner of the devalaya tusker”

The Wildlife authorities these days are out on a relentless search for elephants held in captivity illegally. 

Love and romance in Diyawanna keep tongues wagging

This Diyawanna member from the South is due to be appointed a deputy purohita shortly, they say.

He practises a blend of medicine and occult

Two Diyawanna members have taken the initiative to get down here a physician from abroad specialized in treating rare ailments. 

He broke journey to visit patient in vain

A large number of friends and well-wishers have already visited the purohita now convalescing following bypass heart surgery at a reputed hospital in Singapore. Numerous members from Diyawanna and provincial councils had been among those visitors. 

They went for blessings and got an earful

Several senior purohitas in yahapalanaya the other day called on the chief monk of a well-known Buddhist temple situated close to the hill capital. 

It was too good an honour to concede to another

A leading media institution in the country conducted a grand celebration in Colombo 7 to mark International Women’s Day. 

Meddling former leader, a thorn in their side

The leadership of the Betel leaf party has begun appointing new electorate organizers to fill the existing vacancies. The Selection Committee already functioning will first make replacements for the organizers expelled from their positions in the recent past for breaching party discipline. 

Were they asleep when country plunged into darkness?

All service centers at the periphery of this leading state establishment are provided with a night-out facility including a comfortable bed room for the use of the respective officers in charge.

Free gravy packet costs him month’s pay

This story about a driver who had been subjected to a major punishment for a minor offence comes from a hospital located in an area close to Colombo.   

Using political clout to dodge sleaze probe

A senior politician in yahapalanaya wanted by the special Police probe in connection with financial crime allegations is said to be avoiding questioning by Police by using his political clout.