Noonu atoll council member, Mohamed Rausham has defected to main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Rausham, the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)’s only representative in the council, made the move official at the gathering held by the Joint Opposition on Monday night, presenting his membership to its presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and MDP’s chairperson Hassan Latheef.

Speaking afterwards, Rausham said that ‘this is a change that the people wanted, including the youth’.

Further noting that councils’ powers have been taken by the government, he accused it of violating the Decentralization Act.

In addition to Rausham, Holhudhoo island’s powerhouse manager and senior PPM official Ahmed Saddam signed onto MDP, along with former coordinator at the youth ministry Mohamed Muaz and some senior members of the ruling coalition partner, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).