Galle: A grenade was thrown into the election office of a former PA MP at 10 pm Sunday, injuring one person.

The grenade was thrown into the election office of Nanda Gunasinghe at Kabalana, Kataluwa by an unidentified person who fled the scene soon after. A member of the staff was injured in the attack and admitted to the Karapitiya Hospital. All glass in the windows was shattered with the impact of the blast. SI Amerasinghe of the Ahangama Police is conducting investigations.

Four CM councillors cross over

Four Colombo Municipal councillors crossed over to green ranks on Monday morning, complaining of family-bandyism in the SLFP that would deny them their just place in the party.

Three PA councillors M. M. Mubarak, Sunil Vithanage and Gerard Fernando and MEP member Tissa Warnakula crossed over to green ranks.

President hands over election manifesto to Maha Sangha

The President personally handed over a copy of the PA manifesto to the Maha Sangha in Kandy on Sunday and will announce it to the public today at a ceremony at the President’s House.

Leaders of constituent parties of the PA, Ministers and intellectuals are expected to be present at the announcement of the party’s plan of action and policy statement for the forthcoming election.

All parties contesting under the PA banner too will be present at the event.

Planters assn. says no to addl. festival allowance

The Planters’ Association of Ceylon on Monday refused to provide guarantee for an additional festival allowance to be given to plantation workers, in terms of a governmental request.

The plantation companies through a letter dated November 8, had been requested by the Ministry of Plantation Industries to increase the festival advance to employees by Rs 500 per employee. This is in excess of the Rs 1250 loan provided annually for the Deepavali festival. The companies had been advised that the People’s Bank had agreed to grant a loan to the workers at 20 per cent interest, on a guarantee from the employer plantation company. The companies refused to commit themselves to further borrowings, citing their "financial commitments, in particular the very serious liquidity problems which have also been recognised by the government".

However, the companies have expressed agreement to assist employees both in the disbursement and recovery of the additional festival advance of Rs 500 with interest.