PPM benefits from more members joining JP: Umar Naseer

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Interim Vice President Umar Naseer has said that Jumhooree Party’s (JP) efforts to increase its members will end up benefiting PPM at the upcoming presidential election.

Speaking at the function at Ghiyasuddeen School by PPM’s Addu Atoll members, Umar welcomed JP’s efforts to increase members.

“I welcome Gasim Ibrahim’s efforts, because politically, PPM stands to benefit the most from his work. The fewer votes that go to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the first round of the presidential election, the better it is for PPM,” Umar said.

Umar said that PPM is not concerned by more members joining JP, and that the number of members who have left PPM is not large enough to cause alarm.

“JP especially is adding many new members, which is not something of concern to PPM. It’s not like they are removing parts of PPM’s roof to complete theirs - rather, they are removing parts of MDP’s roof to complete their roof,” Umar said.

Umar assured that claims of PPM Members of Parliament leaving PPM are untrue.

According the PPM, the party has over 20,000 members.

However the registry of Elections Commission shows that the number of members of PPM is 16,565 while JP has 5,914 members.