SLMC seeks joint administration in East

8 February 2015 10:32 am

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) today urged all political parties representing the Eastern Provincial Council to come together in forming a joint administration as it is in the central government.

SLMC Leader and Minister of Urban Development Rauff Hakeem told a media briefing that his party is ready to give ministerial portfolios in the Eastern Provincial Council to all parties representing the council including the United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA), United National Party (UNP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Therefore he urged these parties to accept the portfolios. Mr. Hakeem said his party had already held discussions with these parties and was willing to engage in further dialogue with them.

However he regretted that TNA had not shown any flexibility in its stance with regard to the Eastern Provincial Council.

At the same time Mr. Hakeem thanked the TNA and other parties for allowing a chief Minister from his party to be sworn in for the province. He said the SLMC was not in a position to give the chief ministerial post to another party as the Muslims in the area had been on a stand that chief ministerial post should be given to a person from their community.

It was also mentioned that the decision on the number of portfolios given to each party would depend on the outcome of the discussions which the SLMC was to have with other parties. (YP)