'UNP faces dilemma'

Asela Kuruluwansa and Sanjaya Maturata

The decision taken by SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem and Democratic People's Front Leader Mano Ganeshan to contest from the Kandy district on the UNP ticket at the forthcoming General Election has led to a crisis within the UNP.

A.R.M. Abdul Cader who has been a senior Parliamentarian is believed to have opposed the fielding of Rauff Hakeem from the Kandy district. His stand is that it was unwise for three Muslims to contest the Kandy district on the UNP ticket. Meanwhile S. Rajaratnam who had represented plantation Tamils for a long period and represented them in the Central Provincial Council has also been disappointed over the advent of Mano Ganeshan to the Kandy district.

The UNP has a possibility of winning four seats in the Kandy district this time and there will be stiff competition among Lakshman Kiriella, Abdul Cader, Rauff Hakeem, Mano Ganeshan, Renuka Herath, Mayantha Dissanayake, Lucky Jayawardene and M.H.M. Haleem to vie for the slots.