UPFA MP Says Hakeem Will Lose

By Indika Sri Aravinda

UPFA MP Abdul Cader says he is confident the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) will lose the provincial council elections in the eastern province.
The UPFA MP said that although SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem decided to contest the elections in the east under the tree symbol and not with the government, he does not think the SLMC can be victorious as the UPFA has a bigger voter base in the east than the SLMC.
Cader also confirmed that the SLMC decided to contest independently in the east following an understanding reached with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
He said that Hakeem wanted more slots for the SLMC in the east but the government could not agree to that and as a result the SLMC decided to contest on its own.
Cader noted that when an alliance is in power it cannot give a single party majority slots as it will not be fair on the other alliance members.
He also noted that Hakeem has been moving around from one political party to another and so there are questions about his allegiance.
Cader also accused Hakeem, a government Minister, of telling lies and misleading the public.