Ceasefire & Development In the December 2001 General Elections, the UNP swept to power and formed the government with
Ranil Wickremesinghe, the leader of the UNP appointed as the new Prime Minister. Moulana was appointed as Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister. The government then set about on its plan for the cessation of hostilities through a Norwegian government brokered ceasefire with the LTTE. During this time, peace talks commenced between the government and LTTE on a political solution to the ethnic crisis. Moulana was tasked with developing a dialogue with LTTE leaders in the grassroots, and promote the UNP government's plan for development and reconciliation with the dissidents. By doing so, Moulana worked closely with the LTTE leadership, developing a close working relationship especially with
Colonel Karuna Amman (alias Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan), the LTTE's Eastern Commander and overall Military Leader and strategist, and one of
Velupillai Prabhakaran's most trusted lieutenants. By building good relationships with the LTTE, the UNP government was able to provide the general populace amenities that they were deprived of for decades. At Moulana's initiative and under his direct supervision in a period of two years the Badulla-Chenkaladi
A5 highway was reopened, railway lines were reconstructed and train services resumed to Batticaloa from Colombo after 10 years, and the first project of electrification for rural uncleared areas in Sri Lanka were carried out providing over 3000 homes with electricity.
Karuna Defection Involvement In early 2004, Colonel Karuna began lamenting to Moulana of his displeasure with the LTTE leader on the insufficient distribution of resources and power towards the Tamils resident in eastern Sri Lanka. Moulana saw this is an indication of a possible significant split emerging within the LTTE, and informed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe of this development. He was instructed by the Prime Minister to covertly "keep the door open with Karuna". In February 2004, Sri Lankan President
Chandrika Kumaratunga dissolved parliament and called for fresh elections. This led to the UNP government's operations with respect to the ceasefire to come to a temporary halt until elections were held. Moulana however, continued to keep tabs on Karuna. When Karuna continued to express to Moulana of his dissatisfaction with the LTTE leadership, especially with his startling revelation that the LTTE did not intend to follow through with their commitment to the peace process, and were merely regrouping, Moulana realised that with the clear intention of the LTTE revealed, the only way a lasting peace can be restored in Sri Lanka is by defeating the LTTE militarily, and the only way the Sri Lankan government can defeat the LTTE is with Karuna on their side. Moulana then over a series of meetings with the Colonel began to convince him to defect from the LTTE and enter the democratic mainstream where he can voice his opinions on behalf of his people on a political platform. In March 2004, Colonel Karuna officially announced in two letters that he sent to the LTTE leadership with copies to the international media that he was renouncing his LTTE membership, along with 5000 troops loyal to him in the districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara. The LTTE began to launch an offensive against Karuna and the troops loyal to him. On April 9, 2004, large numbers of LTTE
Sea Tigers and ground forces landed on the banks of the Verugal river in Vakarai, Batticaloa, and in clear violation of the Ceasefire accord signed with the Sri Lankan government began attacking and killing civilians and cadres loyal to Karuna alike in a brutal offensive. Karuna did not intend any harm to befall any civilians and withdrew all his troops and heavy artillery machinery to his main base in the Thopigalla jungles. He then requested Moulana to arrange for secured transportation for himself and his trusted lieutenants to withdraw to the capital city of Colombo. As nearly 500 LTTE troops were moving fast on the offensive towards Karuna's base in Thopigalla, Moulana who happened to be close to the area, and due to the extreme sensitivity of the situation, decided to personally go to Karuna's base and get Karuna to safety himself. A six-car convoy carrying Moulana, Karuna and 20 other confidantes of Karuna retreated to Colombo on April 9, 2004, under the cover of darkness, where they were handed over by Moulana to high-ranking officers of the
Sri Lanka Army Military Intelligence. Intelligence reports later revealed to the public said that Moulana and Karuna had managed to escape from the advancing LTTE forces by a mere 10 minutes.
Return to Parliament and Resignation Moulana did not contest the 2004 General Elections, but was one of four UNP MPs nominated to Parliament through the
National List due to a deal made between the UNP and the
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to not field any UNP Muslim candidates from the East. In June 2004, one of the Karuna loyalists who retreated to Colombo along with Karuna and Moulana was forced to return to Batticaloa and was captured and tortured by the LTTE, in which they forced a confession out of her. It was then revealed by her through a press conference called by the LTTE that it was Moulana who was Karuna's link with the government, and it was with him that they had come to Colombo. This revelation sparked a huge controversy surrounding the Government of Sri Lanka, the
Sri Lanka Army, the UNP and Moulana, as it implicated the government's role behind the split in the LTTE. Owing to the severe threat on the lives of Moulana and that of his family by the
LTTE assassination squads, Moulana immediately resigned from Parliament and fled Sri Lanka on June 23, 2004. ==Diplomatic career==