SLMC with UNP, NUA with PA

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 October 2001, 20:02 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) led by former Kandy district parliamentarian Mr.Rauff Hakeem has decided to contest the forthcoming general election alone in some districts and in alliance with the main opposition United National Party (UNP) in other districts under the symbol 'Elephant', party sources said. Ms Ferial Ashraff's National Unity Alliance (NUA) has decided to contest the forthcoming general election under the People's Alliance banner.

In the Trincomalee district, the SLMC is to contest on the United National Party list, the sources said. In the Ampara district, UNP Muslim politicians have requested their high command not to include SLMC former parliamentarians in UNP list of candidates. The matter is now before the UNP high command to take a decision, party sources said.

Meanwhile, the Colombo District Court Judge Tuesday issued an interim order prohibiting eight people including three former Sri Lanka Muslim Congress parliamentarians Messrs M.L.A.M.Hisbullah, U.L.M.Mohideen and U.L.M.Haniffa from interfering in the activities of the SLMC led by Mr.Rauf Hakeem.

District Judge Ms Rohini Walgama made the order on an application made by the SLMC general secretary Dr.A.R.M.Afrath. Mr.M.L.A.M.Hisbullah was an earlier Deputy Minister in the ruling People's Alliance cabinet. He resigned the post immediately when President Chandrika Kumaratunge sacked Mr.Hakeem in June this year from her cabinet. Later he declared himself as the President of SLMC stating that he had been elected to the said post by majority of politburo members.

However on an application made by the Hakeem faction of the SLMC, the Colombo District Court issued interim order prohibiting Mr.Hisbullah and several others from claiming the leadership of the SLMC till the inquiry into the application is completed. This case is now pending in court.

In the latest development the Colombo District Court Tuesday issued another interim order prohibiting Mr.Hisbullah and others from interfering in the SLMC affairs.