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Which way CWC? Decision tomorrow
By Chris Kamalendran
The Ceylon Workers Congress will take a final decision tomorrow, party leader Arumugam Thondaman said. The Sunday Times learns that after a five-hour meeting of the party's decision making body in Colombo yesterday, the leadership of the CWC was still divided on whether to back the UPFA or remain with the UNF.

The CWC has seven members in Parliament, including the two national list members, and if the CWC supports the UPFA, it would have a working majority of 113.

Mr. Thondaman said there were different opinions about supporting the UPFA and the party wanted to make a collective decision on the matter. The Sunday Times learns that at yesterday's meeting senior members of the party had told the district organisers that they could serve the community better if they join the government, but district organisers opposed the view by saying that such decision would have a serious impact on them at the provincial council elections.

They said they had always been with the UNP and they gained more from the UNP than the PA. The Sunday Times learns the CWC is bargaining for the Civil Aviation portfolio which is now held by Minister Mangala Samaraweera. According to reports Mr. Samaraweera and Mr. Thondaman had met in Singapore and Colombo to discuss the matter.

The CWC is also reported to be bargaining for an additional portfolio related to the development of estate infrastructure -- a portfolio now held by UPFA's Nuwara Eliya district parliamentarian C.B. Ratnayake.

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