Riyaz Rasheed says he attended Yameen’s rally to ‘just spectate’

Jumhooree Party (JP) aligned lawmaker Riyaz Rasheed has told the party that he attended a rally organized by supporters of former president Abdulla Yameen, to ‘just spectate’.

The Vilufushi constituency representative was questioned at JP’s council meeting on Tuesday, over complaints that Riyaz participated in the rally held to support Yameen when he was summoned for police interrogation, earlier in December.

Two other JP aligned lawmakers had been seen at the rally; Faresmaathoda MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef, and the lawmaker for Guraidhoo constituency had participated as well. However, these two parliamentarians have not been questioned.

While they had not attended the council meeting on Tuesday night, the JP had previously decided to penalize all lawmakers seen at the rally. However, RaajjeMV understands that no action is ot be taken against them.

All three lawmakers joined the JP recently, having been elected in 2014 on a ticket from Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives, though the former president’s leadership of the party is currently disputed.

Yameen has publically expressed support for Riyaz, having said that joining a party in the government coalition is ‘only means’ to be re-elected to the Vilufushi constituency.