Muslim vs. Tamil battle for East’s CM?

Mahinda promises post to SLMC defector Hisbullah overlooking TMVP supremo Pillaiyan

By Kushali Atukorale
In an about turn of face, President Mahinda Rajapaksa whose party allied with the Pillaiyan led TMVP to contest elections in the east appears to have offered the key Chief Minister position to SLMC dissident M.L.A.M. Hisbullah who decided to contest the Eastern Provincial Council election on the government ticket last night.

Hot on the heels of the long awaited SLMC decision to contest the Eastern Provincial Council election with the UNP, the country’s largest Muslim party suffered another blow, when high command member and former Deputy Minister Hisbullah announced he would be contesting under the government banner.

Hisbullah told The Bottom Line that he decided to contest under the UPFA, due to appeals from prominent religious leaders.

“Before the religious leaders came over to me, they met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and it was the President’s wish that a Muslim should become the Chief Minister in the Eastern Province,” Hisbullah said.

However, SLMC General Secretary Hassan Ali told The Bottom Line that the party had decided to contest with the UNP, as the UNP leadership has promised to appoint an SLMC candidate as the Chief Minster of the Eastern Province, in the event of victory.

He also said that the UNP is the only party which promotes Federalism, which, in fact, promotes the participation of minority groups within the region.

“On the other hand, people in the Eastern Province also wanted us to contest under the UNP and not under the UPFA banner,” Ali added.

Hisbulla also alleged that apart from him, several other SLMC members will be contesting under the UPFA, at this election.