Yameen: We don’t cast our votes to concrete mixers; MDP has no right to talk about democracy

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) doesn’t cast their votes to concrete mixers and the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) wouldn’t talk about democracy if they had even one iota of shame, states the opposition leader, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

Yameen made the remarks in an interview to Sun on Saturday morning from Henveiru Stadium, where PPM is holding their internal elections.

Yameen said MDP had no right to talk about democracy, and accused the ruling party of selling Maldives.

“Are we casting our votes to buckets? Or are out ballot papers inside concrete mixers? Our ballot papers aren’t inside concrete mixers, are they? We aren’t carrying the ballot papers in buckets, are we?” he said.

MDP had used concrete mixers, bags and buckets as ballot boxes during internal elections in 2018, following a Civil Court order to halt the elections.

Yameen said PPM’s internal elections are held in accordance with the principles of democracy.

“It is the chief hope of all our party members that nothing happens that disrupts our internal stability as this election conclude,” he said.

Yameen said the purpose of the internal elections is to prepare for the upcoming presidential elections.

“Up ahead are the 2023 elections. With this election, we will, In Sha Allah, defeat India,” he said.

PPM’S INTERNAL ELECTIONS

Voting began in the PPM internal elections at 10:00 am Saturday. PPM states that all voters in queue by closing time - 04:00 pm – will be allowed to cast their vote.

Voting for districts of Male’ City and voters from other islands registered to vote in Male’ is being held at the Henveiru Stadium. Voting in Hulhumale’ is being held at the Synthetic Track’s VIP Hall, and voting in Vilimale’ is being held at the Vilimale’ Youth Center.

Voting in islands is being held in accordance with arrangements made by designated steering committees, according to PPM.

PPM is voting to elect presidents, vice presidents, presidents of youth movements, and presidents of women’s movements in various districts.

Total 463 candidates are running in the elections. 124 candidates are running for district president, 102 for district vice president, 119 for president of youth movement, and 118 for president of women’s movement.