Thirteen MPs from the opposing Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have crossed party lines to join the ruling Peoples' National Congress (PNC).
The MPs pledged their allegiance to PNC at a special ceremony held Thursday night at Dharubaaruge in Male' City. Their membership forms were received by the Progressive Congress Coalition's leader and PNC President, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.
The members that defected from MDP are:
Maradhoo Constituency MP Ibrahim Shareef
Maafannu South Constituency MP Adam Ali
Machhangolhi South Constituency MP Ahmed Haitham
Kommandoo Constituency MP Mohamed Rashid
Feydhoo Constituency MP Mohamed Nihad
Guraidhoo Constituency MP Ibrahim Shaz
Mulaku Constituency MP Ibrahim Naseer
Kurendhoo Constituency MP Abdul Ghany Abdul Hakeem
Kanditheemu MP Abdulla Shaheem Abdul Hakeem
Mathiveri MP Hassan Zareer
Thoddoo MP Hassan Shiyan
Nilandhoo MP Abdul Muhsin Hameed
Isdhoo MP Ali Hameed
Among the new MPs who joined the PNC, MPs Shaz, Nihad and Hassan Shiyan were not present at the ceremony as they are currently out of town.
Following this move, the PNC's representation in Parliament has risen to 15, making them the new minority party. When factoring in the two MPs from PNC's sister party, PPM, the Progressive Progress Coalition now boasts 17 MPs.
Consequently, the current number of MDP members in Parliament has dropped to 43.
The MDP MP's move to PNC comes while the MDP had previously expressed their intention to oust the President and Vice President through parliamentary means. After seven MPs resigned from the parliament to join President Dr. Muizzu's government, the Parliament rules were amended to declare that the total number of MPs in the Parliament as 80 instead of 87, as new MPs would not be elected until the next parliamentary elections. While this paved way for the MDP to unilaterally remove the President and Vice President from power, the defections of its MPs have effectively thwarted their plans.
