People’s pulse projects a DRP win in the Local Council Elections- Thasmeen

Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, Leader of the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has said that the election results of the past two years alone are a reflection of the unparalleled win DRP is expected to take in the Local Council Elections.

“Let’s look back at the results of the Presidential Elections of 2008. DRP’s presidential candidate secured 40.61% while MDP’s presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed managed a 25.08%, with the rest of the votes divided into 16.78%, 15.35%, 1.44% and 0.78% respectively,” he said.

While the first round called for a run-off as neither of the candidates managed to secure the over 50% majority required to win the election, there was a marked contrast between the percentages secured by the candidates of DRP and MDP, said Thasmeen.

DRP also said that the run-off saw the emergence of a ‘marriage of convenience’ between MDP’s presidential candidate and two of the other closest contenders who wanted a ‘change’ and were willing to forge an alliance with MDP to give them the crucial support needed to win the election. In exchange MDP promised them mid-term elections, he added.

“Even with the strong backbone of alliance support, MDP only managed to secure 54% in the runoff just barely managing to secure the required percentage to win the elections. When the post election euphoria wore off, MDP’s true colours were revealed and one by one the coalition partners broke away from the alliance. MDP never fulfilled its promise of a mid-term election.

“With the coalition partners out, the government in power today represents about 25 percent of the eligible voters of this country,” he said.

“Barely six months into the MDP government came the Parliamentary Elections of 2009 in which the DRP took home 28 seats while MDP secured 26 seats. The defeat of MDP in the Parliamentary Elections was a resounding slap on its face, especially since it came during the government’s honeymoon period”, said Thasmeen.

Thasmeen said, “Let’s face it. MDP has taken one defeat after another. The very people who advocated democratic change, has since lost track of the core values of democracy. The people who came to power as the ‘compassionate government’, now displays many facets of a ruthless dictatorship. They vowed to create a corruption free state. The Maldives today ranks 143, well below Zimbabwe, in Transparency International’s 2010 Corruption Perception Index; a ranking which represents a fall of 15 places since the 2009 index which itself fell 15 places from the 2008 index.”

He said that since MDP came to power, the country has become increasingly polarized between MDP and non-MDP members. He added that discrimination against those who are not in the party is so widespread; many have joined the party, albeit reluctantly, fearing for their jobs or seeking benefits that are solely reserved for party members. DRP intends to bridge this divide; to once again unify the people under the national tri-colors of red, green and white, he said.

Thasmeen said that Maldivians have long been a people unified under one religion, and to this day we proudly remain a hundred percent Muslim country. Since MDP came to power, the government has made several attempts to dislodge the Islamic identity, the faith and conviction of the very people it vowed to protect.  MDP’s effort to make Islam an optional subject in the curriculum of higher secondary education, the ruthless eviction of Arabiyya students from their school premises are some but to name a few, he said.

“While unabashedly continuing to backpedal on its campaign promises, the MDP government gave the biggest blow ever to the national identity and pride of the people by selling valuable assets of the state to foreign companies, in the name of privatization.  DRP has zero tolerance for such acts of treachery. Our policy is to safeguard our national interest, our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“The Maldivian people have given the government, two years to sow the seeds of the promised harvest. Not only have the MDP government failed to deliver, they have repeatedly broken the trust of the people they purport to serve. While claiming ownership to and outwardly advocating support for the policy of decentralization, MDP MPs in the parliament did all they can to impede DRP’s efforts to push these bills through parliament.  The deception did not stop at that. The government’s proposed budget for this year did not include funds for the administration of the local councils. It was DRP who advocated in favour and secured a budget for the councils.