CWC decision soon

BY CHAMIKARA Weerasinghe

MUTTU Sivalingam, Finance Secretary of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) yesterday said they would announce whether they would support Premier Mahinda Rajapakse or Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe by the end of this week.

Sivalingam also said they would declare whom they would support at Presidential Poll before the date of nominations, October 7. "Presently we are waiting to know the Premier's proposals with regard to the election. We will declare our position before the nomination day," he said.

He dismissed media reports of a "tilt" in the attitude of CWC Leader Arumugam Thondaman to support UNP candidate Wickremesinghe. The media reports had implied that funds had been offered to the CWC for this purpose.

"These reports are devoid of truth and misleading," he said.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) said they were planning to declare their position as to whom they would extend their support to Premier Rajapakse or Wickremesinghe after the nominations.

Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera, an independent MP in Parliament and dissident JHU member whether he had made any decision to join ether UNP or SLFP in the present context of the election, he said he would decide on whom to support in due course.

"I am closely studying both the candidates," he said.

Asked whether he had any discussions with the candidates, Dhammaloka Thera said that there was no need for him to have any such discussions because both the candidates and their activities are so well known.

Dhammaloka Thera, however said he would declare his decision to the media by October 20.

Meanwhile, Champaka Ranawaka, Secretary of Jathika Hela Urumaya said, it was very interesting for them to see how other parties were going to join their candidate Rajapakse.