DUSHANBE, July 6, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Over the past several years, more than 10,000 people have suspended their membership in the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDP) in connection with leaving the country.

The majority of them are labor migrants who have traveled to other countries, primarily Russia, seeking better employment opportunities, Usmon Solehov, head of the PDP’s public relations department, said.  According to him, they may renew their membership in the party when they come back to Tajikistan.

“Besides, some people have changed their places of residence inside the country but have not yet been registered in the new places of residence or have been read out of the party for violation of the party discipline or disgraceful behavior,” said Solehov.  “Some other 10,000 people have left the party for these reasons.”

Despite all these mentioned factors, the party’s numbers are growing from year to year, he added.  “Over the past six months alone, 18,000 people have joined our party,” Solehov said.

Founded in 1993, the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan is the biggest political party in Tajikistan.  Its chairman is President Emomali Rahmon.  It is the largest party in the country, boasting some 178,000 registered members; the official newspaper of the party is Minbari Khalq .  The party controls some 70 percent of seats in the lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of the parliament.