COLOMBO, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Yet another of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's allies defected from a major opposition party was given ministerial positions in a mini Cabinet reshuffle here Thursday, government officials and analysts said.

    National Freedom Front (NFF) member Nandana Gunathilaka was sworn in as the minister of Tourism while his colleague Piyasiri Wijenaike was given the non-cabinet rank position of Cultural Affairs, presidential secretariat officials said.

    The NFF is a breakaway group of the main left party the JVP or the People's Liberation Front.

    Gunathilaka filled the void created by Milinda Moragoda who left the Tourism Ministry to become the Minister of Justice and Legal Reform.

    The Justice Ministry had fallen vacant due to the death of late minister Amarasiri Dodangoda.

    Moragoda, a member of the main opposition United National Party had defected to the government in 2007.