Several MDP MPs won't vote against me, says president

President Mohamed Muizzu has said that there are already Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) members in Parliament who will not vote against him even if their fingers are cut off, in a vote to remove him from office.

Thirteen MPs, most of whom from the opposition MDP, signed up for the PNC and joined the government at the rally at held at Dharubaaruge on Thursday evening. After handing over the membership forms to the members, President Muizzu said there were still many MDP MPs who supported him.

The President said that some members of the MDP Parliamentary Group (PG) will not vote against him even if they won’t join the PNC.

"There are [MDP] MPs who will not vote against me even if their fingers are cut off. I know that. Some of them may not be seen in our ranks," he said.

President Muizzu is referring to the MDP parliamentary group's motion to remove him from office.

However, the MDP has now lost its super majority in parliament after 13 MPs defected on Thursday.