Colombo Mayor and 21councilors joins SLFP

Colombo Mayor M.U.Imtiyaz Mohammed Deputy Mayor A.Rajendaran and 20 other councillors of the ruling independent group today obtained SLFP membership from President Mahinda Rajapaksa. At the Colombo Municipal Council election the UNP nomination list was rejected and it backed the Independent Group contesting under the Spectacle Symbol which was led by A.Rajendran. The group managed to secure 23 seats at the election and gained control of the CMC.Significantly 17 our of the 21 councillors joined the government today are Tamil nationals. Except for the period where veteran leftist leader Dr. N.M.Perera served as Mayor, the Colombo Municipal Council was controlled by the UNP throughout its history.This was the second time a non-UNP group gained control of the Colombo Municipal Council.