“Z Faction” of the main opposition Divehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has today announced that its leaders were considering the option of completely breaking away from DRP by forming a separate and new political party.
On condition of anonymity, a prominent leader of the Z Faction said today that the issue was being discussed in the Council although no final decision had yet been made.
The official accused the leadership of DRP of utterly failing to hold the government accountable, and stated that one of the most important aims of forming a new political party was to do that job. He also said that in and when a new party is formed, preparations would immediately begin for the upcoming presidential election in 2013. The official also assured that leaders of the Z Faction would make a decision on whether to form a separate party or not latest by the end of coming September.
When asked about prospective name of the party, he said that no such decisions had been made yet.
The Z Faction of the Divehi Rayyithunge Party has been a group of staunch opposition to the current government since the day of its inception. The Z Faction was founded as a break-away, unregistered movement within the main body of DRP, by some of the party’s most prominent leaders, who rallied behind Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom.
Maumoon, the former President of the country, was the founder and first leader of DRP, but was later given the honorary title of “Za'eem" (translated 'leader') upon his retirement from politics following the presidential election in 2008. Maumoon has returned to politics, stating that current leadership of DRP, headed by Ahmed Tasmin Ali, has failed to realize the vision of his party in holding the government in check and in acting as an opposition that works for the interests of the nation and her people.