Sri Lanka's largest Muslim party defects government
Sri Lanka's largest Muslim political party has defected President Mahinda Rajapaksa to support the opposition candidate in the January presidential election.
Ameer Faaiz, a leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, said Sunday the party decided to switch its allegiance to the opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena because of Rajapaksa administration's "intolerance toward religious minorities" and disagreement with his style of rule.
He says the party consulted its supporters who were of the overwhelming opinion that they could no longer stand with Rajapaksa.
