SLMC meets to choose new leader

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 September 2000, 17:56 GMT]
The high command of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is meeting tonight in Colombo to elect a new leader to succeed late Mr.M.H.M.Ashraff who was killed a helicopter crash yesterday, party sources said.

The politburo of the SLMC held a special meeting from 11 a.m. till 5.30 p.m. today.

A final decision on the party leadership would be taken based on the conclusions of the politburo, SLMC sources said.

Meanwhile all election meetings by the United National Party in Kalmunai electorate in the Ampara district have been suspended until October 1 as a mark of respect to the dead SLMC leader, Mr.M.H.M.Ashraff.

The decision on suspending the meetings was announced today by Mr. "Myown" Mustapha, the lead candidate in the UNP list for the Kalmunai electorate.