While the legal snags and other issues in the way of constituting newly elected local bodies are being resolved, the main political parties are reportedly in a race to buy members elected from minor political parties and independent groups in a bid to have their own nominee as the mayor or the chairperson. 

By the way, it has been heard on the grapevine that two main political parties short of one member each to form a majority in a major local body close to Colombo have offered an amount as high as Rs. 1 million to hook a member elected from a minor party. 

The member conscious of his bargaining power over two competing buyers is said to be marking time for the highest possible bid, they say.