Rauff Hakeem

Hakeem joined the SLMC in 1988.[1] He served as general-secretary of the party from 1992 to 2000 and represented it at the All Party Conference between 1991 and 1993.[5] Prior to the 1994 parliamentary election the SLMC entered into an electoral pact with main opposition People's Alliance (PA).[7]

After the election Hakeem was appointed as a PA National List MP in the Sri Lankan Parliament.[8][9] Following the PA's victory the SLMC joined the new government.[7] Ashraff was appointed Minister of Shipping, Ports and Rehabilitation and two other SLMC MPs became deputy ministers whilst Hakeem became Deputy Chairman of Committees.[7][10][11][12][13]

By 2000 relations between the SLMC and PA had become strained.[14] Earlier, in 1999, Ashraff had founded the National Unity Alliance (NUA) with the aim of creating a "united Sri Lanka by 2012".[15][16] Ashraff was killed in a mysterious helicopter crash on 16 September 2000.[17][18][19] Hakeem contested the 2000 parliamentary election as one of the NUA's candidates in Kandy District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament.[20] He was appointed Minister of Internal and International Trade Commerce, Muslim Religious Affairs and Shipping Development after the election.[21][22]

Following the death of Ashraff in September 2000 Hakeem became the SLMC's "thesiya thalaivar" (national leader) but there was a power struggle between Ashraff's widow Ferial Ashraff and Hakeem for control of the party.[5][23] In June 2001 President Chandrika Kumaratunga dismissed Hakeem from the cabinet.[24][25] As a result, Hakeem and most SLMC MPs left the PA.[23][26][27] However, Ferial Ashraff remained in the PA as leader of the NUA.[23]

In October 2001 the Hakeem led SLMC joined the United National Party dominated United National Front (UNF).[28] Hakeem contested the 2001 parliamentary election as one of the UNF's candidates in Kandy District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament.[29] The UNF defeated the PA at the election after which Hakeem was appointed Minister of Ports Development and Shipping in the UNF government.[30][31]

Hakeem contested the 2004 parliamentary election as one of the SLMC's candidates in Ampara District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament.[32] He however lost his cabinet position after the UNF was defeated by the newly formed United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA).

In January 2007 the SLMC joined the UPFA.[33][34][35] Hakeem was rewarded by being appointed Minister of Posts and Telecommunication.[36][37] The SLMC left the UPFA in December 2007.[38][39] Hakeem resigned from Parliament in April 2008 to contest the provincial council election.[40] He contested the 2008 provincial council election as one of the UNF's candidates in Trincomalee District and was elected to the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC).[41] After the UNF failed to win control of the EPC Hakeem resigned in July 2008 and was appointed as UNF National List MP.[42][43]

Hakeem contested the 2010 parliamentary election as one of the UNF's candidates in Kandy District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament.[44]

In November 2010 the SLMC joined UPFA again.[45][46] Hakeem was rewarded by being appointed Minister of Justice.[47][48]

The SLMC left the UPFA in December 2014 to support common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the presidential election.[49][50] President Mahinda Rajapaksa dismissed Hakeem from the cabinet.[51] After the election newly elected President Sirisena rewarded Hakeem by appointing him Minister of Urban Development, Water Supply and Drainage.[52][53][54][55]

In July 2015 the SLMC joined with other anti-Rajapaksa parties to form the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) to contest the parliamentary election.[56][57][58] Hakeem was one of the UNFGG's candidates in Kandy District at the 2015 parliamentary election. He was elected and re-entered Parliament.[59][60] His cabinet portfolio was changed to Minister of City Planning and Water Supply after the election.[61][62][63]