Members of ruling coalition partner MDA to join opposition

Prominent members of the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) in N. Velidhoo have decided to support Joint Opposition presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

A member of the junior government coalition partner confirmed this to RaajjeMV while speaking on the condition of anonymity.

He said that Mohamed Abbas, a former council member of MDA, is already working with the opposition coalition and that other party members in Velidhoo are working in Solih’s campaign events in the island.

While Abbas actively campaigned for President Yameen in 2013, the party member said that Abbas has decided to back Solih because he wants to end the government’s oppression and tyranny.

The member said that Abbas, who is a close associate of MDA leader Ahmed Siyam, told him that even Siyam disapproves of the imprisonment and conviction of opposition leaders and members.

Abbas has served as the president of Dhivehi Rayyinthunge Party (DRP), MDA’s council member, a committee member of the ruling coalition PPM-MDA in the 2013 election, and a member of the PPM-MDA coalition in the last local council election.

Mohamed Irfaan, the former president of the N. Lhohi council representing ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), has also begun campaigning for opposition candidate Solih.

Once the MDA members in Velidhoo come out in support of Solih, he is expected to receive 80% of the island's votes.