It is the Christmas season and everyone yearns for a gift from “Secret Santa”, regardless of one’s faith in Christianity. In that sense, Minister Rauff Hakeem, Leader of the Sri  Lanka Muslim Congress, is no exception.

Hakeem was flirting with the idea of joining the Common Opposition to support Maithripala Sirisena at the presidential election. However, the Common Opposition waved a red flag at the SLMC Leader at the outset as they vehemently rejected Hakeem’s idea of a separate administrative district in the Eastern Province. Deep down, the opposition was aware of the fact that the large majority of Muslims were inclined to vote in favour of the opposition, regardless of Hakeem’s support to Maithripala Sirisena. Therefore, they did not see a dire need to give in to the demands of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.

However, as the battle intensified, Hakeem started making headlines again with his “flirtatious statements” over the presidential election. But no one really gave much attention to Hakeem’s concerns, grievances or demands. Things took a different turn when Rishad Bathiudeen joined the opposition and the government started feeling the importance of Hakeem, at least for symbolic purposes.

The SLMC Leader held two high-profile meetings, one with President Rajapaksa and the other with his sibling Minister Basil Rajapaksa. They made various promises to Hakeem, including a lasting solution to the controversy surrounding a mosque in Dambulla. After much persuasion however, the SLMC Leader agreed to buy more time before announcing his final decision.

Highly placed sources of the SLMC told Asian Mirror that Hakeem was of the firm belief that he could re-negotiate his “separate administrative agreement” deal with the government, especially due to the “new value” that has suddenly been created for him in the “crossover market”. Perhaps, the government too has given an indication or two that it is willing to consider the proposal if Hakeem stays with the government. Unfortunately, the large majority of the SLMC rank and file believe that the UPFA government will never entertain an idea of that nature and Hakeem will place the party in serious trouble with his naive hopes for separate administrative districts.

So tonight, Hakeem will go to bed with the unwavering belief that a Secret Santa will give him a “separate administrative district” as a midnight surprise.