Mob that confronted Hisaan was PPM, not MDP, the MP clarifies

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) President and Baa atoll Thulhaadhoo MP Hisaan Hussain has said that it was Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) supporters and not Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) members who tried to obstruct her when she arrived in her constituency.

Hisaan, who has expressed support for President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the upcoming MDP primary election, arrived in Thulhaadhoo on Sunday amid the excitement of the party campaign. Upon her arrival, however, she was confronted by a mob.

After remaining silent on the matter, Hisaan responded to an allegation made by former Malé City Mayor Shifa Mohamed and clarified the incident, saying it was members of the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) that confronted her.

"This is what happens when we "kick" the people who elected us," Shifa tweeted on Monday morning, with a video of the mob that followed the MP when she arrived on the island.

Hisaan responded by saying it was about 10 PPM members who tried to attack her in Thulhaadhoo. She said members of her team surrounded her to protect her from them.

"There was no MDP party member in the crowd. PPM supporters had shouted that I do not support President Nasheed. This is something that everyone in the MDP should think about," Hisaan said.

Hisaan’s tweet raised questions about the former president and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed's motives as PPM supporters had come out to question the lack of support for him in an MDP internal election.

Hisaan had earlier shown support for President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during the party's Chairperson election. She campaigned for Fayyaz Ismail, the candidate endorsed by President Solih, during the MDP Chairperson elections.

Hisaan has said that the future of MDP does not align with Nasheed's political views. She was Nasheed's lawyer when he was sentenced to 13-years of imprisonment on terrorism charges during Abdulla Yameen's presidency.

Some MDP members who had joined the campaign in Thulhaadhoo condemned the hostility towards Hisaan on the island.

MDP's primary election will be held this Saturday.