Sri Lankan minority party members rejoin Cabinet

Oct 11, 2007 (LBO) –Members of a Sri Lankan political party, Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), whose support was considered important to keep the ruling coalition in power, rejoined the cabinet Thursday. CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman was sworn back in to his previous portfolio as Minister of Youth Empowerment and Socioeconomic Development by President Mahinda Rajapakse Thursday morning, the party's chairman R. Yogarajan told Vimasuma.com, our sister news website.

Four other CWC parliamentarians also resumed their portfolios as deputy ministers in the government.

The return of the CWC members to the cabinet comes weeks before the government presents its budget for 2008 for which their support would be required to get it passed by parliament with a comfortable majority.

The CWC members resigned from their portfolios in August and vowed they would not return.

The cause for the resignations was apparently differences of opinion with key members of government.

Their resignations led to speculation that the government's majority in parliament would be affected but it had no effect.

The government depends on minority parties like the CWC, which has much support among Indian Tamil