Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has decided to support Opposition Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the forthcoming Presidential Election, Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem announced on the morning of December 28th 2014

Resignation letter by SLMC leader-Rauff Hakeem-pic via: twitter.com/AyeshaZuhair

In making the announcement, SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem said that he will be resigning as Justice Minister of the ruling UPFA Government in order to back the opposition at the polls.

Speaking at a press conference in Colombo, SLMC Leader Hakeem said “I have already sent the resignation letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” he told media

The decision to back Sirisena was taken after days of discussions both as a party and with the two main candidates.

Before announcing the decision, Hakeem also consulted the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama, a religious body of the Muslim Community.

A crucial discussion among the SLMC members was held on Dec 27th evening where the party attempted to reach a final decision after previous talks ended without a breakthrough.

The SLMC High Command met on Saturday evening to make a final decision on the matter. However, the three hour long meeting ended without a decision yesterday due to differences of opinion over the matter.

The party was strongly divided over its stance on the forthcoming presidential election.

Some members of the SLMC were willing to back President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the election as he had agreed to address Muslim concerns but most of them wanted out, especially in light of the Aluthgama incidents this year.

However, the rank and file of the SLMC exerted immense pressure on the party leadership to leave the government and support the campaign of the Common Candidate.

Before deciding to leave the government, Hakeem held discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa on a number of concerns of the SLMC.

The government, at that point, made last minute assurances to resolve their issues.

However, the last minutes attempts made by the government did not prevent the SLMC, the largest Muslim party in the country, from joining the Common Opposition.

Ending weeks of speculation, Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem finally said he would resign from his ministerial portfolio to support Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

This was the second major Muslim political party to withdraw from the Government within two weeks and extend support to the opposition.

Last week former Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen and his political party, the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), announced they had also decided to support Maithripala Sirisena.

(Compiled from Reports in Sri Lankan Newspapers and websites)