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An operation to oust the incumbent Western Provincial Chief has got underway. A minister at cabinet level who shed much sweat to usher in the ‘compassionate’ regime is reportedly at the helm of this operation.

A Blue member of the council with requisite qualifications to replace the current Chief has already been picked. He has also been appointed to the party’s Central Committee by way of grooming him for the high position. But a snag is in the way: a large majority of Blue members dislike the proposed successor.
Meanwhile, on being wise to the machinations aimed at ousting him, the incumbent Chief has already obtained affidavits from 52 members out of the 56 in the ruling party affirming their allegiance to him as the Provincial Chief. In the face of this new challenge,  those behind the operation to oust the Chief,  have now begun a campaign to meet all the 52 provincial members of the three districts one by one to persuade them to withdraw the affidavits and support the proposed successor.

By the way, the current Western Provincial Chief incurred the displeasure of the Blue hierarchy when he along with 42 provincial members attended the Nugegoda rally in defiance of a party directive.