PPM to hold senate meeting on Saturday

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has scheduled a senate meeting to be held tomorrow (Saturday) night. This will be the first meeting of its kind since the previous leader of PPM former President Abdulla Yameen left the party.

According to Mihaaru News, the meeting is due to start at 9 pm Saturday night and is being held with the objective of deliberating on actions the party must take in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary election.

Previously, PPM has decided that it will contest in the parliamentary elections in coalition with People's National Congress (PNC). PNC Chairperson Abdul Raheem Abdulla (Adhurey) claimed at the time that he is confident the coalition would win more than 70 seats in parliament.

The coalition announced then that the primaries for the election would be held on January 20, with applications open from December 20 to the end of the month.

However, Yameen announced yesterday that he has left PPM, and intends to establish a separate political party.

Yameen's lawyer, Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, stated on Channel 13 last night that the decision was a difficult one for Yameen to reach. He went on to say that it had been based on many incidents that had occurred in the recent past, adding that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has refused to take calls from Yameen since the day he was elected. Jameel alleged that the leadership of PPM had also distanced themselves from Yameen.

"Dr Muizzu and the leadership of PPM have immensely betrayed President Yameen," Jameel said.

Jameel claimed that many Maldivians are keen on ensuring a parliamentary win for a party that is established on Yameen's political ideology.