The decision has been taken at a special SLMC high command meeting on Tuesday night to discuss recent incidents in Puttalam where tension ruled for a few days due to clashes between the supporters of Deputy Minister Baiz and non Cabinet Minister Rishard Bathiudeen.

The party has also suspended its two provincial councillors from Puttalam, holding ex-officio member positions in the party politburo, and against whom there are allegations of misconduct in the same violent incidents.

Party sources said it had also been decided to meet the seniors of the Government Group to request them that they conduct an investigation into the conduct of Minister Bathiudeen.

“The main objective to suspend the deputy minister and two others is to maintain party discipline and dignity. We will decide the next course of action once the inquiry is over” a party spokesman said.

SLMC sources said party leader Rauff Hakeem along with party General Secretary Hasan Ali and several seniors went on a fact finding trip to Puttalam last Sunday and met IDPs from the North over whose World Bank-funded housing scheme the Ministers Baiz and Bathiudeen had locked in quarrel.

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