SLMC on PA ticket in East

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 August 2000, 14:25 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslin Congress will contest under the ticket of People's Alliance (PA) in the eastern districts of Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee, while it will field its own list in northern Jaffna and Vanni electoral districts, according to an agreement reached between the President Chandrika Kumaratunga and SLMC leader A.H.M.Ashraff.

A SLMC spokesman said that Ashraff had discussions with President Kumaratunga at Temple Trees Wednesday night which went on till the early hours of Thursday.

After the discussions with the president, Ashraff said that his party will work to strengthen the PA in the forthcoming elections.

According to the electoral agreement signed by the both parties, the SLMC is receive two cabinet portfolios and two junior minister post in the next parliament.

The SLMC will field its nominations for the Batticaloa District after Friday worship tomorrow party sources said.

Mr.Ashraff met President Chandrika at the latter's invitation to sort out the controversy which arose following the challenge to the SLMC leadership issued by another minister, Fowzie, who heads the Muslim Faction in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

In a separate development Deputy Minister and former SLMC parliamentarian for the Vanni District, S.S.M.Abubakar filed nominations as an Independent at the District Offices of the Election Commissioner in Vavuniya.