Two letters signed by the Kelaniya Divisional Councillors and Buddhist Monks requesting that Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa be appointed to the vacant post of SLFP organiser of the Kelaniya electorate have been addressed to the President.

Divisional Councillor Lankaa Vijitha Kumaara explaining with regard to the letter the Kelaniya Divisional Councillors had submitted to the President:

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Chief Incumbents of 37 out of the 41 Buddhist  temples in the Kelaniya electorate have signed the letter the Buddhist monks have submitted to the President.

Kelaniya Sri Sugataaraama Chief Incumbent Venerable Kirinde Revatha Thero who explained about the petition stated as follows;

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UPFA Kelaniya Divisional Councillor Hasitha Madawala was shot dead in front of his house situated at Waraagoda in the night of the 5th of this month.

Five persons including two of coordinating secretaries of Minister Mervyn Silva were arrested by police and remanded in connection with the incident.  

Kelaniya Divisional councillors say that Minister Mervyn Silva should accept responsibility for this killing.

Subsequently while Minister Mervyn Silva resigned from the post of organiser of the electorate, the President too accepted the resignation.

However after the incident while Minister Mervyn Silva met the people of Kelaniya day before yesterday he stated as follows.

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