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The battle for the Maha Nilame office of the main Devalaya in the Deep South has intensified with the D-Day fixed for the April-end.     

Of the 17 candidates in the running, three determined hopefuls from Colombo, Kandy and Ratnapura are said to have gone on a spending spree to win the coveted position at any cost. The latest report says that the bid for one single vote is shooting up from a floor price of Rs.5 million due to the intense competition, they say.

Meanwhile, the faithful pray to the revered deity to mete out justice to power-hungry people resorting to unscrupulous means to become the lay custodian of the shrine dedicated to him!