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Not immune to change
With election fever fast catching up, journalists are invited to more press conferences than usual. But an invitation they received last week was somewhat different to the faxed messages informing them of the time and place of such events. Instead was a neatly printed single page card cordially inviting the journalists to a press conference of the Freedom Alliance Media Unit.

The event was presided by Information Minister Laksman Kadirgamar with some of the top JVP members such as Wimal Weeransa and Vijitha Herath being present as well. The venue was the Hotel Galadari ballroom, quite a change from the Nippon Hotel premises where the JVP customarily held its briefing. With the colour and symbol changes, other things seem to be changing as well.

Re-writing nature
Talking of symbols, the betel leaf that has been allocated to the Freedom Alliance seems to have changed colour as well. It is no longer painted green but in white.

The shape too seems to be changing to resemble a Bo leaf. Maybe they don't want to be sporting their main rival party's colours too much.

Second time lucky
JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe who was attending the Alliance's inaugural rally in Anuradhapura visited a kovil along with several others such as Mahinda Rajapakse and Wimal Weerawansa. They all took turns at dashing coconuts to invoke blessings. After one unsuccessful dash, another coconut was handed over to the JVP leader and this time he was luckier.

Taxes and fines
The principal of a leading private school who has filed his candidature for the general election has started taxing the parents. A notice has been sent to parents this month stating that if fees were not paid by the required date, the school would impose a fine of Rs. 1000.

Failure to do so for another month would entail a fine of Rs. 2000 and so on. The parents are asking whether they have to pay for the principal's election campaign as well.

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