Former home minister Umar Naseer has left Jumhoree Party (JP) to run in this year’s presidential election.

Umar, who has confirmed his resignation, left JP to run as an independent after failing to get the party ticket.

At the time he joined JP, Umar said that he would try to get the party ticket if a situation arises when party leader Qasim Ibrahim became unable to run in the election. However, he has been unable to get the party ticket since the opposition coalition decided to back one candidate for the election.

He has already announced his campaign pledges, those being first and foremost providing cheap housing. Umar noted that every administration had worked to solve the issue of Maldivians being forced to live in cramped apartments but failed because they had used a business-profit model to solve the issue.