SLMC dissident to be made Minister in UPFA government

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 August 2004, 11:41 GMT]
Mr. Najeeb Abdul Majeed, Trincomalee district parliamentarian who successfully contested the April 2 general election in the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) ticket is to be made a cabinet minister in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government shortly, political sources said.


( L-R) Mr.Dilan Perera, Mr.Tissera and Mr.Najeeb Abdul Majeed on the same stage


Mr. Najeeb Abdul Majeed is one the three dissident SLMC parliamentarians who had been expelled from the SLMC for disobeying the party discipline and the leadership. The other two dissident SLMC parliamentarians are Mr. Rishard Badiudin, Vanni district parliamentarian and Mr.Hussain Baila, SLMC national list parliamentarian, sources said.

Suits filed by the three dissident SLMC parliamentarians challenging the legal validity of their expulsion from the SLMC are pending in Supreme Court, legal sources said.

In the meantime, senior member of the ruling alliance and a Deputy Minister for Ports and Aviation Mr. Dilan Perera participating as the chief guest in a public event in Trincomalee town to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) pointed out to the audience that Mr. Najeeb Abdul Majeed is to be made shortly a cabinet minister in the UPFA government. Mr. Najeeb nodded his head with a smile. Mr. Najeeb Abdul Majeed who was present at the event did not address the gathering.

However another Trincomalee district parliamentarian Mr.Jayantha Wijesekara who represents the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a constituent of the UPFA, Deputy Minister Mr.Sathashita Tissera also seen seated on stage when Mr. Dilan Perera was on his feet.