A long-serving Cook Islands MP, Norman George, has been welcomed into the Democratic Party after nearly three years as a self-styled independent.
Mr George had sought to leave the Cook Islands Party soon after the 2010 election because he was left out of Cabinet.
But that resignation was not accepted until he recently got the approval of his Teenui/Mapumai constituency on Atiu.
The Democrats leader, Wilkie Rasmussen, who turned Mr George's membership down just two months ago, says given the constituency's backing, he is now happy to have him back in his party.
"He's had his fair share of challenges while in the Cook Islands Party. Of course he was unhappy there. Certainly he is a maverick but in this context we are looking at uniting a team together and then will be go towards the elections at the end of 2014 with certainty that we have got no division in our team."
The Democratic Party leader in the Cook Islands, Wilkie Rasmussen
