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The battle over the main opposition chair is raging with the two rival groups – one backing the incumbent and the other championing the scion of Boralugoda -- engaged in a keen signature-collecting competition, they say.

The signature-collectors have now made it a practice to even visit the homes of Diyawanna members at the periphery for the purpose.  It was 12 midnight when a group of signature-collectors backing the incumbent called at the residence of a Diyawanna member in the Mahiyangana area the other day. Meanwhile, certain opposition seniors who never cared to greet their backbenchers with a nod or a smile in the lobby or the canteen are all smiles when they meet the latter these days. The long neglected backbenchers these days know what would follow a hail from certain seniors: “Malli, please sign this list.”

The other day one junior Diyawanna member was heard telling a colleague:  “Machang, we must think of some way of prolonging this fight over the main chair.  After all, doesn’t it give a good value-addition to our status?