Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has backed over thirty candidates for the parliamentary polls.
Maumoon Reform Movement (MRM) confirmed to AVAS on Sunday that over thirty candidates have been endorsed for the parliamentary polls by President Maumoon thus far.
However, this number is likely to increase, and the finalized number and details of the contestants will be revealed very soon, said senior official of MRM, Abdul Aleem.
Maumoon Abdul Gayyooom recently announced that Maumoon Reform Movement will soon be renamed as Maldives Reform Movement and registered as a political party. He admitted that the recent Supreme Court ruling that that validated Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)'s extra-ordinary congress of the party, had prompted the move.
Maumoon and his half-brother, former president Yameen Abdul Gayyoom have been at loggerheads over the leadership of PPM. The recent ruling by the apex court has ensured the leadership for Yameen.
MRM has previously revealed that 108 candidates have applied to contest for 80 different constituencies in April's parliamentary election. However, President Maumooon had made the decision not to present any candidates for the twelve constituencies whose MPs the Elections Commission had previously wrongfully disqualified. For the 12 constituencies, Maumoon will be backing the 12 disqualified lawmakers instead.
