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JHU to repeat tit for tat
By Santhush Fernando
As in the battle for the Speaker, the JHU will vote against the government in the election of the Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chairman of Committees if its two rebel members vote with the UPFA again, a JHU spokesman said.

JHU General Secretary Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera said that if the rebels voted with the UPFA as they did on April 22, then two others of the JHU would vote for the Opposition candidate and probably tilt the balance as they did in the election of Speaker.

He said the JHU was demanding a public apology by the government for its role in the conduct of the two rebel monks and also insisting on the resignation of those monks.

The two rebel monks - Ven. Apperakke Punnyananda Thera and Ven. Kathaluwe Rathanaseeha Thera - had been nominated by the JHU but went against the party during the election campaign. They, however, won on the preference vote and the JHU has accused UPFA elements of abducting the rebel monks to achieve the government's own agendas.

He said the JHU was taking action to sack the two rebel monks and replace them with Ven. Polgahawela Sugathananda Thera and Ven. Dapane Sumanawansa Thera.

Meanwhile CWC Leader, Armugam Thondaman said that his party would be nominating its parliamentarian Muthu Sivalingam for the post of Deputy Speaker when the election takes place in parliament on May 18.

Amidst reports that President Chandrika Kumaratunga was wooing the CWC for its support, Mr. Thondaman said his two-hour meeting with the President in Nuwara Eliya recently was confined to the situation in Kandapola.

He, however, said his party was keeping its options open and saw no harm in supporting the government if proper policies were followed. He, however, declined to elaborate on what proper policies would mean.

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