Abdullah Yameen, presidential candidate of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), has said that no party other than PPM has the energy to ensure that Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) does not win the election.
Yameen said this while speaking at a meeting held at Dharubaaruge last night, for its members to discuss the official launching of campaign activities in Male’.
“PPM is the strongest party, to prevent MDP from winning the election. On a chessboard, PPM would be the only pawn that prevents MDP from moving forward. No other party has this energy, this capability,” he said.
“If PPM, by a small chance, does not get the opportunity to move to the second round, I assure you without the slightest doubt that we would then support a party other than MDP. This is how much we don’t want MDP returning to power. I am telling you this way in advance, but not because Jumhooree Party or President Waheed said anything similar about PPM,” he said.
Yameen further said that PPM wished to increase membership prior to the election, and that the purpose of this is to prove to the people, by membership numbers, that PPM would win the election.
Yameen also urged parents to get their children to register for PPM once they turn 18.
“Parents have some authority as long as children are living with them. So when they turn 18, put their names on the PPM registry first, for the purpose of voting. This is our request. Then, we can be sure that that child would vote for the PPM candidate. Once the voting is over, if the child does not wish to be a member of a political party, he can remove his name from the registry,” Yameen said.
At last night’s meeting, PPM decided to establish several campaign halls (jagaha) in Male’.