Presidential Secretariat says ....

COLOMBO: The Presidential Secretariat in a letter to the Editor of the Tamil newspaper "Sudaroli" yesterday, drew attention to a news item under the heading "Arumugam Thondaman and Chandrasekeran lay prostrate before the President to beg for portfolios" appeared at page 6 of their March 28 edition and categorically denied this statement attributed to Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva as a complete falsehood.

These two MPs never approached the President seeking portfolios, the letter emphasised. These two MPs in appreciation of the concept of Mahinda Chintana Programme has pledged to strengthen the hands of President Mahinda Rajapakse and support the cause of the United People's Freedom Alliance at the forthcoming Local Government elections, the letter says.

The letter also urged the "Sudaroli" editor to correct this false report appeared on page 6 of the March 28 issue immediately. It also regretted any pain of mind caused to the two MPs as a result of this false report.