OPPP's national list seat woes continue

COLOMBO (News1st): The acting secretary of the Our Power of People Party (OPPP) who went missing recently has claimed that a plot is underway to arrest him. Ven. Wedinigama Wimalatissa Thero is alleged to have been in hiding after he nominated himself to the national list parliamentary seat from the party. "While I gave the letter around 200 people were there surrounding the election commission. Around 50 vehicles gave chase to me," he told News 1st. Ven. Wimalatissa Thero said the party should have sent a letter stating that he has been removed from his position, before the nomination if it is to be ineffective. "I shall become the national list representative and then hand it over to (Ven. Galagoda Aththe) Gnanasara Thero after resigning from it," he insisted. The acting secretary, whom the party said that it had sacked, claimed the party is attempting to deceive Gnanasara Thero by pledging to offer him the seat. However, Gnanasara Thero said that he has not associated to a greater extent with the acting secretary. "Three conditions have been put forward by the Thero. That is to wipe out the problems of the Asgiri Maha Sangha, to revoke a warrant issued on him, and to provide him security," he said. A protest was staged opposite the national election commission demanding that Gnansara Thero be appointed to the national list. "We can't appoint people," Mahinda Deshapriya, the election commission chairman said.