Thondaman ill

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 October 1999, 11:12 GMT]
Sri Lankan cabinet Minister and veteran trade union leader Saumiyamoorthy Thondaman is reported to be seriously ill. He has been flown to Jeyawardenepura National Hospital in Colombo this morning according to sources.

Mr. Thondaman was staying at Nuwara Eliya Grand Hotel when he started having breathing difficulties around 5 a.m., sources said.

He was to preside over an important meeting of the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) at Nuwara Eliya this morning, to plan out a strategy for the forthcoming Presidential polls, said sources in the CWC.

The CWC has already decided to support the candidature of Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge at the forthcoming Presidential election scheduled for 21 December.

The Ceylon Workers Congress is a close ally of the People's Alliance headed by the incumbent President Kumaratunge.

Mr. Thondaman is expected to play a key role in the crucial polls in mustering the support of the Indian Tamil voters in favour of the government nominee.