Chairperson of ruling People's National Congress (PNC) Abdul Raheem Abdulla has stated that the party is not in a condition where it is necessary to coerce people to join the party through offering money.
Chairperson of ruling People's National Congress (PNC) Abdul Raheem Abdulla has stated that the party is not in a condition where it is necessary to coerce people to join the party through offering money.
This statement comes at a time when opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has raised allegations against PNC of using State resources to boost party membership.
Speaking at a party rally held after concluding its membership drive in capital Male' City, Abdul Raheem asserted that the party is not at the point where it needs to forge signatures to increase membership.
"PNC has no need to draft forged forms. Or pay money to have forms filled. Or forge signatures even. That is something done by those who do not have popular support," Abdul Raheem stated.
Abdul Raheem said that these actions are conducted by failed politicians without popular support who create their own political parties. Instead, PNC has earned public trust and confidence, which is evident in the high number of membership forms being received every night, he said.
He stated that no forms are being filled through coercion of any kind.
Referring to rumours that party membership forms are being filled in government offices as well, Abdul Raheem retorted that, 'this is a PNC government'. Hence, with PNC members being in leadership positions at ministries, it is a responsibility of them all to work to build up PNC, he said.
"Cabinet ministers in this government are PNC members. MDs are PNC members. It is their responsibility to build up PNC. They are appointed to those positions through PNC itself," Abdul Raheem said.
"So them working to build up their party, this is something that won't be objected to in any multi party democracy across the world."
MDP, meanwhile, has said that staff at these offices have voiced concerns that day to day work is adversely affected due to having to work on party activities during official hours. MDP accused PNC of using personal information of citizens stored at government agencies to fill party membership forms, and called on Elections Commission to investigate this.
Abdul Raheem said that when this administration had come to office, PNC's membership had been at a mere 3,022. However, he claims that today, the party has the highest membership in the country, with having received 8000 membership forms in the past two days alone.
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