SLMC defers decision on Tree symbol, forging alliances

by Zacki Jabbar
A majority of SLMC members are for contesting the May 10, Eastern Provincial Council Election under its Tree symbol, but no finality was reached at its high command meeting on Wednesday night.
Informed sources said that the majority view expressed at the meeting was that the Tree symbol should not be sacrificed at any cost. "A section of the party said that all options should be explored before deciding on the strategy that needs to be adopted. However a final decision would be taken only after we finalise our list of candidates."
Those wanting the SLMC to retain the Tree symbol, reasoned that maintaining its identity in the East - which is the party’s main base was of paramount importance."Contesting under common symbols in other parts of the country was quite in order, but it would be a case of committing political suicide if such a course of action was followed in the region that gave birth to the SLMC."
Leader of the SLMC, Rauff Hakeem and party seniors on Thursday visited Ampara, Trincomalee and Batticaloa to finalise their list of candidates for the EPC polls.
"Our present focus is to select competent and popular candidates for the SLMC list. Forming alliances could be looked at thereafter", the sources said.
The SLFP, UNP and other Muslim political parties recently held talks with the SLMC to explore the possibility of contesting the EPC election under a common symbol.
The UNP and SLMC having discussed an electoral alliance on Wednesday, agreed to meet again on Sunday.