Sri Lanka's governing party ally says Eastern Province Chief Minister would be a Muslim

Leader of Sri Lanka's governing party ally, the Sri Lank Muslim Congress (SLMC), Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem says the post of Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council would definitely be given to a Muslim. Hakeem said
that it is now definite that the main seat of the Eastern Provincial Council would be occupied by a Muslim this time. Speaking during the ceremony to mark the death anniversary of the founding leader of the SLMC, M.H.M. Ashraf, he noted that the SLMC did not want to engage in any unfair bargaining over the formation of the Eastern provincial Council. He observed that the SLMC has discussed with the government and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) about the Eastern Provincial Council. According to Hakeem, the SLMC wanted to act in the best interest for the people in the East, keeping in mind their diverse nature. "We do not want to make this issue a case of political musical chairs," he said. -->