The ruling progressive party of the Maldvies (PPM) is tirelessly working on their campaign to elect current president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom as the next president of the Maldives.

The assertion from the senior members of progressive party of the Maldvies (PPM) and ministers to the members of the ruling party in their reform work, that former president Mohamed Nasheed neither any opposition candidates can run for presidency is at hand. Although home minister Azleen Ahmed has given his assurance not to feel burdened about this, there is a chance to believe that the worry still remains, Mohamed Nasheed and his party, opposition Maldivian democratic party (MDP).

In the recent PPM gathering, the minister’s verbal attacks were directly spearheaded towards Nasheed. From the minister’s talks, it is irrefutable that he perceives Nasheed as a great intimidation to the current administration.

It is easy to perceive from the way the minister directs his words, that the people of the Maldives have been fooled to believe the progress Nasheed brought for the country, what he has most been celebrated for, is the progress brought to the country by incumbent president Abdulla Yameen.

The home minister further went on to state that the universal health insurance scheme of the Maldives “Aasandha”, established in the Nasheed administration, is a scheme brought to the country by incumbent President Abdulla Yameen. According to the minister, “Aasandha” health insurance scheme was introduced under incumbent president’s tenure as a program titled “Madana”. Accordingly, the ex-president is said to just have renewed the title to “Aasandha”.

It has not been acknowledged when, where or how President Yameen instigated the “Madana” program. The main initiative of the whole situation was to give all glories and recognition of introducing the health insurance scheme to president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom misleading the fact that it was introduced by Mohamed Nasheed.

The next thing to highlight, the praise received for the progress brought to the decentralization system by former president Mohamed Nasheed and his party, opposition Maldivian democratic party (MDP) which was hoodwinked by the home minister with the matter of appointing island councilors for each and every island during the Nasheed administration. The home minister went on to point out the notion of how it was just the appointment of island chiefs in the name of island councilors, by the lot that didn’t approve of island chiefs. Nonetheless, the truth remains, councilors running for elections with the new constitution within the temporary duration former president Mohamed Nasheed had to appoint island councilors. This was done up until the electoral councilors were chosen.

It is believed that the purpose of the government ministers’ talks fabricated like cited is to hide the efforts put into diminishing the decentralization system in the Maldives and to render councils powerless. 

The third fixation is on the confidence with which the home minister declared that no candidates from the opposition Maldivian democratic party (MDP) will be running for the upcoming presidential election. The minister declaring it as positive news is sure to bring satisfaction for the ruling progressive party of the Maldives (PPM). In this way the government believes that if a candidate from the opposition party does not run for the election, there will be no one deservingly competent enough to contest against incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

This clearly proves the government will do anything in its power to make sure the former president nor MDP candidates can run for presidency. Even so, in the end it is not impossible to refrain an MDP candidate from crusading for presidency.