PPM harshly criticizes President Waheed for choosing Thasmeen Ali as running mate

Progressive Party of Maldives has directed harsh criticism towards President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik for choosing Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali as his running mate for the upcoming presidential elections.

Speaking at a press conference held at the party’s head office in Male’ today, DRP Spokesperson and Galolhu-South MP Ahmed Mahlouf said that President Waheed’s running mate Ahmed Thasmeen Ali is proven to have a “bad record.”

Mahlouf described Dr. Waheed and Thasmeen Ali as key players who facilitated GMR consortium to get established in the Maldives. He said that the picture he saw at Thasmeen’s designation ceremony today was two people who had worked together to bring GMR consortium to Maldives, getting back together to scheme again.

Mahlouf said that he accepts that President Waheed had gained a certain amount of support during the recent past and that some members in PPM were inclined to join the President. However, he said that those hopes of Waheed gaining defecting members from PPM have been lost ever since the rumors that Waheed would appoint Thasmeen as his running mate.

Noting that DRP Deputy Leader Azim Ali signed for the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) today, Mahlouf said that it was proof that Thasmeen new position as running mate is driving away those who are closest to Thasmeen.

After harshly criticizing Waheed, Mahlouf said that regardless of what PPM might say now, they are still willing to join President Waheed in coalition if the presidential election moves to a second round of voting. Reasoning his statement, Mahlouf said that PPM believes that President Waheed is still better than MDP’s former president Mohamed Nasheed.