Minister says JVP is engaged in a 'political character assassination'

Agriculture minister, Maithreepala Sirisena, told BBC Sandeshaya that the government will start buying rice as harvest from Batticaloa and Ampara districts is to be produced to the market from next week.

"The price of rice rapidly going down. When we get more rice in the market, the price will go down in a week," he told journalist Thakshila Dilrukshi.

The minister, whose family owns the Araliya rice mills, was accused of fixing the rice price in the country by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

War of words

President Mahinda Rajapaksa's political ally, JVP, and his senior cabinet minister was engaged in war of words over the issue.

Minister Sirisena is certain that his rice mills will buy rice for peanuts JVP MP, SK Subasinghe

JVP Polonnaruwa district MP, SK Subasinghe, said the minister in fact could predict the price of rice.

"Minister Sirisena is certain that his rice malls will buy rice for peanuts," the MP told journalist Thakshila Dilrukshi.

However, the minister who is also the General Secretary of ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), accused the JVP of a 'political conspiracy'.

"This is a vicious campaign aiming at political character assassination," Minister Sirisena told BBC Sinhala.com.

Preferential votes

Mr. Sirisena accused the JVP parliamentarian of trying to undermine the popularity of SLFP leaders in the district: himself and deputy minister Siripala Gamalath, who is also a rice mill owner.

This is a vicious campaign aiming at political character assassination Minister Maithreepala Siripala

But Mr. Subasinghe says his party has no plans to consider the two SLFP leaders to as future candidates from the JVP.

"How can we engage in a row over preferential votes, if we never invited him to contest from the JVP," the legislator questioned.

The JVP contested the 2004 general elections together with the SLFP in UPFA ticket.

Minister Sirisena added that he revealed to the parliament that Mr. Subasinghe, MP, bought 200,000kg of rice from his ministry.

The JVP legislator challenged the minister to prove the allegation.

A kilogram of rice currently cost about Rs. 70 in the market. A campaign by the main opposition, United National Party (UNP) against the rising cost of living was postponed as military authorities pledged the finish the war within months.