MDP Parliamentary Group Leader Mohamed Aslam has been selected as President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's running mate for the upcoming presidential election.
While the official announcement of the appointment is pending, Aslam has confirmed to AVAS that steps are being taken to clear his criminal record in preparation for submitting the candidacy forms. He emphasized that the declaration of his role as a running mate should come from President Solih himself, and he refrained from disclosing the news prematurely.
"It is not appropriate for me to declare the news," Aslam said.
Aslam is one of the most seasoned politicians in the main-ruling MDP. He has been a member of Parliament for more than 15 years.
President Solih had previously expressed that he would unveil his choice for a running mate on Thursday, acknowledging the weightiness of the decision. In addition to Aslam, Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid, and incumbent Vice President Faisal Naseem were also being considered as potential running mates. The rationale behind selecting Aslam has not yet been disclosed.
Thus far, only President Abdullah Yameen, the presidential candidate from PPM, has submitted his candidacy. However, the Election Commission rejected his submission, prompting a legal challenge that is currently ongoing in the Supreme Court.
The window to enter the presidential election remains open until Monday.
