President Abdulla Yameen has admitted to working to unseat the lawmakers that chose to leave the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

The president made the confession during a campaign visit to Thinadhoo island of Gaafu Dhaalu atoll on Tuesday, where he noted that the party’s biggest loss was ‘lawmakers leaving PPM’.

Noting that this is not something he will take lightly or let go easily, President Yameen admitted that he had been the most active in ensuring that the MPs that defected from PPM were unseated.

While the lawmakers representing Thinadhoo, Saudhulla Hilmy and Abdulla Ahmed, have both defected to the opposition, the president claimed they did so ‘for their own benefit’.

While it has been over a year since 12 opposition lawmakers have been unseated by the Elections Commission, parliament proceedings have been held without these elected representatives. However, Supreme Court is yet to make a clear ruling on the matter, and the authorities are yet to announce by-elections for these constituencies. 

Anoter lawmaker defected from PPM to the opposition earlier this month, and has since been removed from the ruling party.

Yameen’s comments on the lawmakers’ seats comes days after he confessed to blocking former President Mohamed Nasheed and Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim from running in this month’s presidential elections.