Thimarafushi MP Mohamed Musthafa has no restriction towards competing in the party’s primary ballots for the upcoming parliamentary elections, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said.

MDP decided this in response to a complaint submitted by three residents of the island, claiming that Musthafa had violated the party’s 2014 directorate on parliamentary elections.

A party committee decided that while candidates have only been disqualified by the party’s disciplinary committee after a case has been filed with them, Musthafa has had no such action taken against him and so should be allowed to contest the ballots.

Musthafa had been elected to the People’s Majlis in 2014 on a ticket from MDP but defected to the then ruling Progressive Party of Maldives. Musthafa, after the election of MDP-fielded President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, has returned to the party.

The MDP committee had also decided on another case; one against Anwar Ibrahim, a candidate contesting in the primary for the Thimarafushi constituency.