SLMC invites other parties to form joint administration in the east

Monday, 9 February 2015 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) yesterday called on all political parties representing the Eastern Provincial Council to join in forming a joint administration in the Council. Addressing an urgently-convened media conference held at SLMC Headquarters at Daarusalam in Colombo, SLMC Leader, Urban Development Minister Rauff Hakeem said the party was ready to give ministerial portfolios in the Eastern Provincial Council to all parties representing the council including the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), United National Party (UNP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). He noted that it would be similar to the current situation in the central government. Hakeem said the SLMC had already held discussions with these parties and was willing to engage in further dialogue with them. However he also expressed his regret that TNA had not shown any flexibility in its stance with regard to the Eastern Provincial Council. The SLMC Leader also expressed his sincere thanks to President Maithripala Sirisena for respecting the agreement reached between the UPFA and the SLMC to appoint the Chief Minister from SLMC for the remaining two-and-a-half years in the Eastern Provincial Council. The SLMC Leader introduced the new Chief Minister Hafiz Nazeer Ahamed at the beginning of the media conference. Party Secretary General, State Minister M.T. Hasan Ali. Parliamentarian Faizal Cassim and Eastern Provincial SLMC members also participated at this event.