General Election 2015

SLMC to tie up with UNP:

by P. Krishnaswamy

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress High Command (HC) that met on Friday (3) evening ratified the party leadership decision to tie-up with the UNP to run for the August 17 general elections but will further discuss constituencies where the party would contest on its own 'tree' symbol and on the UNP's 'Elephant' symbol later today (July 5), party General Secretary and State Minister of Health, M.T.Hasan Ali, said. At the HC meeting, several members representing different districts, explained the changing political scenario in their respective parliamentary constituencies, the problems that they encountered and the need for contesting on the party symbol, instead of on the 'elephant' symbol and, therefore, the HC decided to hold further discussions, Hasan Ali said.

The HC authorized party hierarchy to hold further discussions and decide on constituencies where the party would contest on its 'tree' symbol, based on the nature of the problems, Ali said.

Party leader and Minister of Urban Development, Water Supply and Drainage Rauf Hakeem, reached an agreement with UNP leader and PM Ranil Wickremsinghe Thursday (2) at a meeting held at party headquarters 'Sri Kotha' to contest 10 electoral districts, including four districts in the North and East, on the UNP's 'Elephant' symbol and to sign a Memorandum of

Understanding ( MOU), according to earlier reports. UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrama and party General Secretary and Minister of Highways, Higher Education and Investment Promotion, Kabir Hashim, were also present.

After the HC decision, it is most likely that the party would contest 10 parliamentary constituencies outside the North and East on the 'elephant' symbol, including in Nuwara Eliya, Puttlam, Kurunegala, Kalutara, Badulla and Ratnapura, Hasan Ali said.

The MOU with the UNP will inter-alia, incorporate the policy issues of the SLMC in relation to the Muslim community, instead of a formal election manifesto, he said.