Top officials of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has welcomed newly-elected council member, Abdulla Rasheed to the party.

Rasheed, who had contested for the island council seat in Vaadhoo island of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll independently, signed on to MDP on Friday.

MDP’s leader former President Mohamed Nasheed and Chairperson Hassan Latheef immediately welcomed Rasheed to the party. MDP is the largest opposition party in the country, and is currently in coalition with other opposition parties; with all key opposition leaders agreeing to work together to reform government.

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who is also part of the opposition coalition representing his faction of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), has called on independent candidates remain that way, and to refrain from political pressure; while senior officials from the ruling coalition have publicly said that independent council members will join them ‘soon’.

252 independent candidates had contested in the council elections, with 101 winning seats.