Presidential candidate for Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Abdulla Yameen has said that he expects to collect more than 60 percent of votes in the run-off of the presidential elections, to be held on the 28th of September.
Speaking at the post polling day press conference in Nasandhura Palace Hotel on Sunday evening, Yameen said that he was not to secure a majority in the first round because the votes against Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate former president Mohamed Nasheed, who secured 45 percent in the first round, were divided between the other three candidates.
“President Nasheed’s work was based on his supporters. But, while a person gained votes from one side, the other side had three different candidates that represented a common thought. So that one ideology began with 50 percent. I believe that PPM would have won if one candidates came forward from each ideology,” Yameen said.
The PPM candidate said that he is currently speaking to Jumhoory Party candidate Gasim Ibrahim, who secured 24 percent of the votes, and current president Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, who secured 5 percent, about the possibilities of a coalition.
Yameen said that Dr. Waheed has already committed his full support for the run-off and that he is confident that Gasim Ibrahim will not refuse a coalition with PPM.
Answer a question by the press, Yameen said that he is also having coalition talks with religiously conservative Adhaalath Party and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), led by Dr. Waheed’s running mate Ahmed Thasmeen Ali.
Opposing Nasheed’s idea to maximize on taxation for generate revenue, Yameen said that his government will not increase taxes, but focus on other avenues to increase revenue.
He also noted that if Nasheed comes back to power, there is a strong possibility that the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport will be handed back to GMR. This is not something that the PPM would support, Yameen said.