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Who cast out the controversial stone?
Two days after the laying of the foundation stone for the new SLFP headquarters at Battaramulla, the bronze plaque, which carried some big names and left out others, has gone missing as controversy over the ceremony continued.

The plaque carrying the names of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Party Treasurer Mangala Samaraweera and General Secretary, Maithripala Sirisena was unveiled by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse on Thursday at a ceremony which was held despite a request from the President.

The plaque also carried the names of former prime ministers, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Bandaranaike along with their pictures. It was not immediately clear as to who had removed the bronze plate, despite it being firmly fixed to the concrete slab on the day of the opening.

Talangama Police said they had so far not received any complaint about the disappearance of the Bronze plaque. Reports said the President had asked that the ceremony be postponed due to astrological reasons.

She reportedly called General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena, asking him to postpone the ceremony. But having apparently failed to convince him, the President had called an administrative Secretary at the party headquarters, The Sunday Times learns.

Eventually the ceremony was held, sans some of the leading members of the SLFP including Minister Samaraweera. Further problems arose when Premier Rajapakse unveiled the plaque and found that his name was not on it. It read that the foundation stone was laid by President Kumaratunga.

The SLFP headquarters is coming up in a government land which has been leased out from the Urban Development Authority (UDA). The two-storey building coming up on a 240-perch land is expected to cost about Rs. 200 million.

SLFP officials were not available for comment on the disappearance of the bronze plaque as they were attending a Galle rally presided over by President Kumaratunga to mark the 53rd anniversary of the party.

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