SLMC meets today to decide on Mayor

10 October 2011 08:30 pm

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) high command is to meet today to choose a mayor for the Kalmunei Municipal Council which the party secured at Saturday’s local government election.

SLMC General Secretary Hassan Ali told the Daily Mirror that the party’s high command would make the final decision today. He said there was a possibility of the party deciding to appoint the candidate who had obtained the most number of preferential votes.

Accordingly, Abu Baker Mohamed Siraz who obtained 16,457 votes topped the SLMC list in the council while Nizam Kariapper who came second obtained 13,948 votes.

However SLMC General Secretary said the party had not decided to stick to this principle and therefore ruled out the possibility of appointing anyone else. Accordingly it is speculated that the party might opt for Mr. Kariapper as well. SLMC convincingly beat the TNA by a majority of 12,445 votes at the local government election on Saturday.

The party obtained 22,356 seats while the TNA polled 9911 votes. Kalmunei was the fifth local body which had been captured by the SLMC this year as it captured the Irakkaman, Pottuvil, Addalachenai and Nithavur Pradeshiya Sabhas during the second phase of the local government election held in March this year. (Yohan Perera)