The Joint Opposition Parties are preparing to hold discussions to choose contestants for the Parliamentary Election 2019, next week.

A top official of the opposition coalition told RaajjeMV that the discussions to choose a member to elect through the coalition ticket, will be joined by the opposition leaders.

RaajjeMV understands that the parties had agreed to elect contestants from all four parties that comprise the coalition – Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Jumhooree Party (JP), Adhaalath Party (AP) and the Maumoon Reform Movement - to run for the election, which has been scheduled for March 2019. However, the coalition is yet to reach an official decision on the matter.

As MDP will be given 40% of the government, Jumhooree Party 25%, Gayoom’s breakaway faction of PPM 20% and Adhaalath Party 15%, the coalition will be giving their ticket to the chosen member based on this.

With this percentage, MDP will be contesting for 35 seats in Parliament, JP for 22, Gayoom’s MRM for 17 and the remaining 13 for Adhaalath Party.

In mid-October, the Elections Commission had revealed that they are preparing to hold the election in March 2019, as its 18th tenure is coming to an end.

The current tenure in Parliament consists of 85 seats, for 85 constituencies with the inclusion of 12 seats representing the capital.

The current members had taken their oath on the 28th of May 2014 and their five-year tenure ends in 2019.