Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain has vowed to move forward with Kaashidhoo MP Faisal Naseem, who has recently been elected as the running mate of the opposition coalition parties.

MP Faisal won with just one vote over MP Hussain at the Jumhooree Party (JP) council’s secret ballot on Friday night.

Faisal won with 15 votes while Hussain received 14.

After Faisal was declared the running mate, Hussain told reporters that he was behind Faisal to change President Abdulla Yameen’s administration.

“Our aim is to change President Abdulla Yameen’s government. We want to defeat President Yameen in 2018, whether it be on November 11 or 17 or before that.”

Hussain also said that he will remain behind the four opposition leaders in order to build a better nation.

While 41 JP council members took part in the secret ballot, one vote was nullified.

The result of the vote is as follows:

1. Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan - 2 Votes

2. Abdulla Ameen - 9 Votes

3. Ali Hussein - 14 Votes

4. Faisal Naseem- 15 Votes

The opposition coalition has agreed to back a member of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) as their presidential candidate and a member of JP as their running mate.

MDP elected their parliamentary group leader, Hinnavaru MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, as the presidential candidate at their third party congress on June 30. Now that JP has elected Faisal as the opposition’s running mate, the coalition parties will now begin their campaign for September’s election in earnest.