SLMC to launch election campaign Sunday

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 13:18 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, a constituent of the United National Front (UNF) alliance, is to launch its election campaign Sunday evening with a rally in Sammanthurai, a town in the Amparai district, SLMC sources said. The SLMC leader and a senior minister Mr.Rauff Hakim, is standing against the National Unity Alliance (NUA) leader Ms Ferial Ashraffat the forthcoming general election in Amparai.

The main theme of the SLMC election campaign would be to enlist the support from majority Muslims at the general election to gain an opportunity to take part in the future peace talks as a separate entity, SLMC spokesman said.

Ms Ferial Ashraff was the wife of the founder of the SLMC Mr.M.H.M.Ashraff. Ms Ferial Ashraff is the lead candidate in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance in the Amparai district and Mr.Rauff Hakim is the lead candidate of the SLMC, sources said.

Political analysts are of opinion that the results of the Amparai electoral district would seal the leadership struggle for the Muslims in the east between Mr.Rauff Hakim and Ms Ferial Ashraff.

SLMC has been plagued with leadership crisis since the sudden death of Mr. Ashraff in a mysterious helicopter crash few years ago on his way to Kalmunai from Colombo, sources said.