DUSHANBE, January 8, 2015, Asia-Plus -- The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is expected to get 20,000 volunteers, agitators and observers in the upcoming parliamentary elections that will take place in Tajikistan on March 1, 2015.

“Beginning on January 15, the party agitators and volunteers will hold pre-election events in all regions of the country,” Usmon Soliyev, the head of the PDP public relations department, told Asia-Plus in an interview.      

According to him, the party will get involved 7,000 agitators, 7,000 national observers and 6,000 volunteers from Sozandagoni Vatan (Homeland Builders), which is the youth organization of the PDP, in the 2015 parliamentary elections.

Founded in 1994, the People’s Democratic Party is the largest political party in Tajikistan, boasting some 250,000 registered members.  President Emomali Rahmon is chairman of the party.

At the legislative elections, February 27 and March 13, 2005, the party won 74% of the popular vote and 52 out of 63 seats.  This was an increase from the 2000 elections, in which they won 64.9% of the vote and 38 seats.  At the last legislative elections, February 28, 2010, the party won 71.69% of the popular vote and 45 out of 63 seats.