CWC leaders meet Tuesday to decide future political strategy

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 July 2004, 16:19 GMT]
Senior leaders of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), a constituent of the main opposition United National Front (UNF) are scheduled to meet Tuesday to map out their political strategy following the capture of six provincial councils by the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at the Saturday polls, political sources said.

CWC leaders would review the current political situation at Tuesday meeting following the defeat of the UNF in the provincial council election and the appeal made by government leaders to join the ruling minority UPFA government, CWC sources said.

A powerful section in the CWC is exerting pressure on the leadership of the party to join the UPFA government, which needed nine seats in parliament to prove its absolute majority, sources said.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse has appealed to the CWC and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) to join his minority government as the people have renewed their mandate given to the UPFA government in April 2nd general election by defeating the UNF in the provincial council poll held on Saturday, sources said.

The CWC won eleven seats in the provincial council election, 10 contesting in the UNF ticket and one contesting alone, sources said.