Asian Mirror can now reveal that the government has succeeded in its attempt to approach SLMC Leader and Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem to remain in the UPFA government.

Just a day after the SLMC Leader’s meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, two prominent members of the government, including Economic Development Minister has met Hakeem in Colombo at the latter’s personal residence. The other person who took part in the meeting was a former Parliamentarian and a Senior Advisor to the President.

The Senior Presidential Advisor participated in this secret meeting on the grounds that he is a close friend of Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem.

The meeting had a satisfactory outcome for the government and the SLMC Leader agreed to ‘soften’ his stance after the Economic Development Minister agreed to look into Hakeem’s grievances.

It was earlier reported that the SLMC Leader decided to buy more time before announcing his party’s stance after President Rajapaksa agreed to resolve the controversy pertaining to the mosque in Dambulla. The President had given the assurance when Hakeem said that a number of SLMC proposals did not elicit a positive response from the government.

According to highly placed political sources, Hakeem is to announce the official stance of the SLMC on December 27.