Opposition will have majority, even if 20 MPs are shot dead: Mahloof

The opposition will hold parliamentary majority even if 20 parliamentarians were to murdered, MP Ahmed Mahloof has hypothesized.

In an interview to RaajjeMV, MP Mahloof – who recently served a jail sentence on obstruction charges described as trumped up by the opposition – said that the Parliament Speaker Abdulla Maseeh who he claims has actively been threatening parliamentarians will soon be dismissed.

In reference to the last vote of no-confidence against Maseeh, which failed controversially after parliamentarians were asked to take a roll-call vote despite the electronic voting machine having no tangible problems with it – indicative in how the vote to resort to a roll-call ballot was taken through it, Mahloof said that the opposition will prevail with a majority despite any obstacles.

While previously a no-confidence motion against a parliament speaker or his deputy could have been filed with 15 signatures, a legislation in April brought the number up to 42. Mahloof, having described the amendment as both tyrannical and cowardly, said that the opposition has acquired this much.

He further called on MPs aligned with the government to support the opposition cause and insinuated that their allegiance is solely owed to threat of reprisals from President Abdulla Yameen’s administration.