By Kesara Abeywardena
SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem yesterday brushed aside the leadership claim from his erstwhile colleague M.L.A.M. Hizbullah as what he called a "puerile effort by a beleaguered government."

Mr. Hizbullah on Monday met Elections’ Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayaka and handed over to him what was termed as the new office bearers of the SLMC appointed by a section of the party close to him.

The present Leader of the SLMC Rauf Hakeem yesterday at a press briefing rejected the action of Hizbullah as an "antic" that would not hold validity in court. "They want to provoke us by taking advantage of a lacuna in the election law, to which we will not yield. They are giving a ridiculous and preposterous picture to the people."

He charged: "Mr. Hizbullah as the Chairman of the Water Board is working for Minister Mangala Samaraweera. He has to prove his mettle by doing this sort of contract to save himself."

He asked the people not be misled by the propaganda of the state media and said that Hizbullah was not even a member of the

SLMC although he has appointed himself as the leader.

On the referendum he said the SLMC would assure that every Muslim dominated area will vote to the pot overwhelmingly and would defeat the government "hands down."

But he did not refute the idea of a reconciliation between the government and the opposition based on finding a solution to the North East crisis and forming the five independent commissions. He said that the government should call off the referendum and summon parliament immediately for such a workout to happen.

However he said that his only wish would be that the referendum would be held so that his leadership of the SLMC could be proved . He added: "We would bring the government to its knees."