Colombo - Sri Lanka's main Muslim political party Sunday withdrew from the government and announced its support for a consensus candidate to challenge in the presidential election next week.
Rauf Hakeem, who was also the justice minister, said all eight of its members in parliament were withdrawing support from President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government.
“The government has failed to protect the Muslims in the country. They have repeatedly come under threats,” the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress said.
Muslim businesses and houses in Aluthgama, 60 kilometres south of capital, were attacked by mobs led by a radical Buddhist earlier in the year but no action was initiated against them.
Rajapaksa's ruling United People's Freedom Alliance has so far lost 20 of its 161 members in parliament and is in danger of losing more before the January 8 election.
All members quitting the government have expressed support for main opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena, who resigned as health minister in November.
Sapa-dpa