After Yameen, Fayyaz in Addu; opposition says MDP scrambling for support
Opposition presidential candidate Yameen visited Addu last week.
MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has arrived in Addu after a visit by opposition leader and former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom last week. The opposition described it as an indication that the MDP and the government were scrambling to regain lost support.
Opposition presidential candidate Yameen visited Addu last week. Yameen was given a warm welcome that had never been seen before when he arrived in Addu, where the party's support was low and MDP's support was always high.
Yameen said that MDP had lost is stronghold.
Yameen returned to Male from Addu on Thursday evening. Economic minister Fayyaz arrived in Addu the same evening.
A senior party official told Atoll Times that Fayyaz's visit to Addu was not in his capacity as party chairperson. It is a visit for the purpose of the government, said the official who did not wish to be named.
There was no official word from the economic ministry on the visit.
Another senior party official, who did not wish to be named, said Fayyaz had visited Addu to meet members of the party as the party's presidential primary was approaching and the government's support in Addu was dwindling.
"Addu seems to be in a bad shape. The people of Addu are not satisfied with the government. That's why Fayyaz came here," he said.
Neither the party's official Twitter account nor Fayyaz's Twitter accounts revealed anything about the visit. There was no official word from the party on the visit.
Opposition PPM spokesperson Heena Waleed told Atoll Times on Sunday that Yameen's visit to Addu was a successful one for the party. Pointing out that a large number of people had joined the party during the visit, Heena said the government had lost its support base in Addu.
Heena said that during Yameen's visit, he invited people of all ideologies in Addu to meet. She said Yameen also met a large number of people separately.
"Most of the people we met included MDP members. Since there were so many meetings, we had to change the schedule and extend it by a day. President Yameen stayed in Hithadhoo for one more day before leaving," Heena said.
