Opposition Progressive Coalition has stated that the senior members of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC) did not meet opposition leader and former President Abdulla Yameen before leaving.

PNC deputy leader Mohamed Hussain Shareef said that the former members had not even called Yameen before switching to other parties.

Shareef also said that he has received complaints that the former members had been calling other opposition members to convince them to join their new parties.

Many senior members of PPM have switched to government coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP). They include former Vice President Abdulla Jihad, former Home Minister Azleen Ahmed, former Villimale’ MP Ahmed Nihan, former Kelaa MP Ali Arif, former Dhaandhoo MP Ahmed Assad, former Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah, and former PPM deputy secretary general Iqbaal Adam.

The opposition coalition has also stated that Yameen is scheduled to travel to Meemu and Faafu atoll this week, as part of his tour across the Maldives.

During his atoll tour, Yameen had criticized the members for switching to the government coalition, saying that they had left PPM after he had lost in the presidential election, which was a time when the members should have begun work to strengthen the party.