The Parliament has officially announced the defection of 12 MPs to the ruling People's National Congress (PNC).
Multiple members from the opposing Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs joined the PNC on December 28 last year.
At Sunday's parliament sitting, Speaker Mohamed Aslam announced that the Elections Commission (EC) has informed that 12 MPs who were previously listed as Maldivian Democrat Party (MDP) members are now listed as PNC members. They are:
Nilandhoo MP Abdul Muhsin Hameed
Feydhu MP Mohamed Nihad
Isdhoo MP Ali Hameed
Machhangolhi South Constituency MP Ahmed Haitham
Kurendhoo MP Abdul Ghani Abdul Hakeem
Kanditheemu MP Abdulla Shaheem Abdul Hakeem
Mathiveri MP Hassan Zareer
Mulah MP Ibrahim Naseer
Maafannu South MP Adam Ali
Komandoo MP Mohamed Rashid
Thoddoo MP Hassan Shiyan
Guraidhoo MP Ibrahim Shaz
Aslam announced that with this change, the PNC now becomes the minority party in the parliament.
The composition of party representation in the Parliament now stands as follows:
MDP - 44 members
PNC - 14 members
The Democrats - 13 members
PPM - 2 members
MDA - 2 members
JP - 2 members
Independent - 3 members
Aslam noted that the change would affect the debate time allocated to party members and independent members. He added that he would propose to approve the changes to the composition of standing committees.
Among those who left the MDP and joined the PNC on December 28 was Maradhoo MP Ibrahim Shareef. However, his name was not among the names announced at today's parliamentary session.
