The SLMC is facing a risk of a massive split over the decision of contesting the forthcoming Eastern Provincial Council election with the governing UPFA in order to secure the Chief Ministerial position in the Council.

A majority of the party’s High Command had last Tuesday decided to contest the Eastern provincial Council election in alliance with the TNA. However, SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem and several others are of a firm decision that the party should contest with the UPFA.

However, Hakeem has handed to the President a draft agreement formed by the SLMC High Command that needs to be signed by both parties before contesting the election together. The SLMC has requested that the party be given the chief ministerial post considering the ethnic concentration in the province.

It is learnt that the President had not yet given a positive response to the proposal. However, if the UPFA does not agree to give the chief ministerial candidacy to the SLMC, the party’s Spokesperson, Attorney Nizam Kariyapper and several other senior party members have decided to contest under the UNP. A few other SLMC members have also in such a scenario contest under the TNA.