1,400 leave MDP post election; goal is to maintain 55,000 members

Some 1,400 people have left the main opposition Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) since the presidential election, but the party says its aim is to keep its membership below 55,000.

Following the loss of a second presidential term to the MDP and the upcoming PPM-PNC parliamentary primary, a large number of people are leaving various parties and signing up for the ruling main party, the PNC.

"When it was concluded on Thursday, [the total number of members] was 56,000. There will be thousands of forms in the Election Commission. We also have some forms. According to my estimate, between 1,300 and 1,400 members have defected," MDP deputy chairperson Ibrahim Waheed said at a press conference held on Saturday.

According to the Election Commission website, the MDP had more than 57,600 members as of February last year.

The MDP said about 1,400 members had left the party since the September presidential election, but the number of defections will increase as the party members sign the forms and process them, Ibrahim said.

"We are still holding it to go no less than 55,000. Hopefully that target [will be achieved]. Our target is not to have less than 55,000 members [of the MDP] even when we are in opposition. And always hold it as the largest party in the country," Ibrahim Waheed said.

Parliament approved next year’s budget last week, and by then six political parties had reached 10,000 members and were eligible for funding from the state budget, the Election Commission announced on Thursday.

After the MDP, the PPM has the second largest number of members in Maldives. They include:

According to the Election Commission, both the MDA and Adhaalat Party had 10,000 members when the budget was passed. The state budget only funds parties with 10,000 members.