President invites coalition parties to take on election together

The presidential candidate for Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has invited the members of the coalition that makes up the government to contest in the election together. 

President Solih was presented the party ticket on February 17, along with which he has also been granted the power to chose working as a coalition or not. Hence, he has already commenced the work to put together a coalition. 

The invitations were sent to the current parties that make up the government coalition - Jumhoory Party (JP), Adhaalath Party (AP) and Maldives Reform Movement (MRM). 

Some of the parties have confirmed receiving a letter signed by the president. However, the parties declined to make any further comments regarding the matter.

Reportedly, the letter expressed thanks to the parties for their support in running the government, and so extending an invitation to working together in the upcoming elections as well. 

Notably, a special envoy of President had visited the leader of JP Qasim Ibrahim over the weekend. Discussions that took place over this meeting has not been reveled either. 

However, President’s brother and Hulhumale MP Ali Niyaz remarked that the meeting went even better than expected, hope that JP will be forming coalition and they will win the election in a single round. 

Over the years President Solih had repeated said that MDP would not be able to win the election single handedly, and that only a multiparty coalition can do so.