Opposition Leader of Eastern Provincial Council and UNP National Organizer Daya Gamage said that Rauff Hakeem should not spread racism with the aim of 'catching' votes in the province.

“Hakeem is originally a person who belongs to MR camp. He never supported the Common Candidate during the Presidential Election with honest intentions. But, we gave him the Ministry of Urban Development, Water Supply and Drainage, " Gamage told Asian Mirror.

“Hakeem is the one who said that they did not want a Sinhalese as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province” Gamage added.

Gamage also said that the current Chief Minister Z.A Nazeer Ahmad was a member of the provincial council for two and a half years but he has not done anything so far to serve the people

“We had to suffer for 30 years because of the war and I don’t think anyone wants a dark era again. Therefore Hakeem must stop spreading hatred and racism among the people who live in harmony” the Opposition Leader asserted.

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress extended its support to the common candidate during the presidential election campaign last year. Hakeem revealed last week that the SLMC would contest under the UNP ticket at the upcoming General Election, after visiting the chief prelates in Kandy.