The Marxist JVP, or People's Liberation Front, which partnered with Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance for the snap April 2 polls, had began clandestinely distributing pamphlets protesting the entry of clergy into the political race, the monks told reporters at a Buddhist shrine here.

"The alliance has got a Buddhist monk to say that those who vote for us will end up in hell," said monk candidate Ellawela Medananda. "But, it is those who distort the teachings of the Buddha who will go to hell first."

He said Kumaratunga's alliance was worried monks would split its vote but the clergy was confident of getting more widespread support, even from members of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP).

Meanwhile, an electoral candidate was shot dead in eastern Sri Lanka yesterday in the first political killing in the run up to parliamentary polls in April, police said.

Two gunmen stormed a hospital in the town of Batticaloa and fired at Sinnathamby Sunderapillai who was receiving treatment for gunshot injuries suffered in an attack on Saturday, police said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the killing which came two days after the London-based human rights watchdog Amnesty International asked Tamil Tiger rebels not to kill opponents during the electoral campaign.