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Party plaque back with police guard
A police guard has been placed to protect the construction site and the plaque unveiled to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the new SLFP headquarters in Battaramulla.

The bronze plaque, unveiled by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, was suddenly removed after the foundation laying ceremony on September 2 amidst reports of bickering among the party high-ups over whose names should be included in the plaque. But it has been reinstalled without the name of Mr. Rajapakse.

Western Provincial Councillor Hector Bethmage who was on the organising committee for the opening ceremony told The Sunday Times yesterday that they had no intention of including Mr. Rajapakse's name in it.

He said the plaque was removed as there was a problem with the nails and it was refixed with no names added or removed. With the conspicuous absence of Premier Rajapakse's name on the plaque, there was speculation it was removed to insert his name.

Mr. Bethmage said the plaque only carried the name of the party leader, President Chandrika Kumaratunga, it's General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena and Treasurer Mangala Samaraweera though he said he was of the personal opinion that it would have been proper to have included Mr. Rajapakse's name. Neither the President nor Mr.Samaraweera was present at the ceremony.

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