The first-ever all-monk party is running in the April 2 elections called by President Chandrika Kumaratunga nearly four years ahead of schedule, and clergy candidates are causing concern to rivals as well as to election officials.

The elections commission will have to relocate hundreds of polling booths which are usually set up in temples in this majority Buddhist nation, election officials said.

With some 281 Buddhist monks contesting the 225 parliamentary seats, setting up a voting centre in a temple would be inappropriate, they noted.

The fear that the monks could attract a sizeable number of new voters as well as those dissatisfied with mainstream politicians has led to intense criticism as well as physical attacks against.

Officials said a Buddhist monk was wounded when he was attacked allegedly by supporters of Kumaratunga's party in the southern town of Galle on the day nominations closed last week.

State-run media controlled by Kumaratunga have unleashed a campaign against monks being allowed to contest the polls.

However, members of her alliance have also been calling for a return to the country's Buddhist heritage to neutralise minority Tamils who are mainly Hindu.

The monks have declined an invitation by Kumaratunga to hold talks.

They plan to take on the Tamils, who hope to gain the balance of power in a close fight between the parties of the president and the prime minister.

The monks banded under the National Heritage Party say they are likely to beat the Tamils to become kingmakers.

Political analysts say the monks may attract hardline nationalists who may otherwise have voted with the president's newly formed Freedom Alliance, which includes nationalistic elements.