CWC MP tipped for Deputy Speaker post

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 May 2004, 17:15 GMT]
Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) parliamentarian, Mr.Muthu Sivalingam, is tipped to be the common candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament when it meets on May 18, political sources said.

The CWC is one of the constituents of the main opposition United National Front (UNF) with eight seats in the parliament.

The UNF leadership earlier requested the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, another constituent of the UNF, to accept the Deputy Speaker post but the SLMC leader, Mr.Rauff Hakeem, declined the offer.

Now the name of CWC parliamentarian, Mr.Muthu Sivalingam, is tipped for the post of Deputy Speaker as a common candidate to avoid another ' battle' in the parliament next week between the ruling UPFA and the main opposition UNF, reliable sources said.

The chances of Mr.Sivalingam getting elected as Deputy Speaker without a contest are high, political sources in Colombo said.