Aug 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Cooperatives and Internal Trade Basheer Segu Dawood, who is also the chairman of governing party ally, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has tendered his resignation from the post of deputy minister.

Speaking to the media soon after his resignation, he said the party believed that SLMC should not have any affiliations to the government since the party was contesting the Eastern provincial Council separately.

He observed that the SLMC should maintain its identity and there should not be any conflict of interests.

Dawood hails from Eravur in the Batticaloa district in the Eastern Province.

However, SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem continues to maintain his portfolio as the Justice Minister.