Colombo: President Chandrika Kumaratunga today (Apr 10, 2004) inducted a Cabinet of 31, but the swearing in was marred by a boycott of the ceremony by her main coalition partner, the Marxist JVP.

The ceremony was originally scheduled at 14:00 hrs, but was put off several times as the Janata Vimukti Peramuna (JVP) did not show up at the event that was originally scheduled to be shown live on national television. The broadcast was also cancelled.

Eventually, Kumaratunga went ahead with the swearing in ceremony without the four JVP Ministers, who were also originally expected to take their oath of office today.

Official sources said the differences were minor and could be discussed and sorted out, but the delay was embarrassing the new minority Government that has to go before Parliament for its first session on April 22.

The JVP, or People's Liberation Front, had wanted additional subjects given over to them, but the President had resisted.

The JVP announced they were getting four ministries, lands, agriculture, rural industries and culture, even before Kumaratunga appointed her new Prime Minister last week.

The JVP also opposed the appointment of Mahinda Rajapakse as the new Premier, but they were overruled.

She gave the key Foreign Ministry to her international affairs advisor, Lakshman Kadirgamar, 71, who lost a battle for the premiership to Mahinda Rajapakse who was sworn in on Tuesday (Apr 6, 2004).

In addition to the premiership, Rajapakse was given the Highways portfolio also.

Finance went to Sarath Amunugama, a former civil servant and Cabinet Minister.

President Kumaratunga's brother, Anura Bandaranaike, a former Speaker of Parliament, got the Industries Ministry.