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All present indications are that there will be an unprecedentedly keen contest in the Colombo district at the general elections round the corner.

Certain would-be-candidates from the Green party are unofficially in the fray already in the district in a bid to increase their preference vote bank.

The rivalry over preference votes among the Green party hopefuls appear to be more intense in Kolonnawa than elsewhere in the district.  They say several Green aspirants are vying to grab a slice of the Green vote won by Mariks at the previous PC election. Among them is a Green politico gunning for a top job. This politico held a highly publicized meeting in Kolonnawa the other day. His picture on a propaganda poster plastered all over had been ripped off the previous night.

The politico found out through discreet inquiries as to who was behind tearing off his picture from the posters. He did not want to kick up a row with his rival. Instead, he sent peace emissaries to win him over. However, the response he got was not encouraging, they say.