Colonel urges MDP to let go of

Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed (Colonel) has said that MDP can only win the next presidential election if they get rid of their ‘militant style’.

Speaking on a point of order raised by MDP in today’s Parliament session where MPs expressed concern that Commonwealth may impose pressure on Maldives following the government’s refusal to acknowledge Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG)’s call for an early election and an independent investigation of the transfer of power, Colonel said that instead of raising the issue of an early election and misleading the public, MDP should focus on ways to win the 2013 presidential election.

He noted that revisions have to be made to the constitution to hold an early election – which means the earliest date for an early election would be early 2013:

“We have to understand the process of revising the constitution. A public vote has to be taken to determine if this change is accepted. Before that can be done, voters have to be registered. So an early election can probably be held around end of March. Without all this effort and turmoil in society, we have a planned election in June 2013. So I would advise our party to, instead of creating anxiety and fear and trying to mislead the public, to focus on winning the 2013 election.”

He pointed out that MDP will not win any election before it makes peace with police and military, or by boycotting all resorts and being enemies with all businessmen. MDP needs to refrain from unfavorable practices, and walk in a better direction than it does today:

“We can’t win by fighting with police, military or judiciary. We won’t win by being enemies with all civil servants or businessmen in the country, or by boycotting all tourist resorts. MDP needs to get rid of its militant style if it wants to win the election in 2013. We have to move past our fears and save MDP from a ‘cult’, and walk in a better direction.”

Even though Colonel spoke in this regard, other MPs of MDP supported an early election and said that President Waheed’s administration should facilitate it.