Parliamentary Group Member of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Ahmed Mohamed has said that he will not support former president Mohamed Nasheed in the second round of the presidential election, but that he will remain a member of DRP.

This remark by the Naifaru Member of Parliament (MP) came following the decision by DRP’s council to back Nasheed in the second round of the presidential election.

He said that he would never follow MDP’s ideologies, and that the decision by the council is an obstruction to DRP’s future progress.

He said that he has not yet decided to defect to another party, and that he is forced to remain as a member of DRP because he does not want to break his promises to the people of Naifaru constituency.

Ahmed Mohamed was the only MP who voted against backing Nasheed in the second round of the presidential election at yesterday’s DRP council meeting.

The six MPs who voted in favour of backing Nasheed in the second round of the presidential election are Leader of DRP, Kendhoo MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali; Thasmeen’s wife, Maduvvari MP Visam Ali; Thasmeen’s brother, Alifushi MP Ahmed Nashiz; Nashiz’s wife, Thulusdhoo MP Rozaina Adam; Kela MP Dr Abdullah Mausoom and Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed.

The two remaining members of the council, Vilingili MP Mohamed Ramiz and Mathiveri MP Hussain Mohamed, were absent from yesterday’s meeting.

Hussain Ahmed refused to comment on the council’s decision, citing that he was not present at the meeting. It was not possible to get Ramiz’s comment at the time of press.

If the six MPs of DRP council who passed the decision to back Nasheed decide to support Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) at the parliament, MDP will have majority at the parliament.