Nasheed: Hard to stay with MDP, waiting so I can regain control

Leader of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed states he finds it “extremely hard” to remain with the main ruling party due to the actions of the current administration.

In a press conference Monday, Nasheed said the MDP is acting against its principles, which he said was “extremely regrettable”.

“The entire direction is wrong. The president isn’t discussing anything with the party,” he said.

Nasheed said President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will no longer have control of MDP once the 2023 presidential election is over.

Nasheed said that he will regain control of the party once the election is over and that “though hard, this is the reason I’m staying with this party.”

“I haven’t left MDP because I intend to bring this party under The Democrats. As I mentioned before, this will get done after September 9. I will, In Sha Allah, get this done,” he said.

Nasheed expressed confidence Democrats will take “a considerable number of votes” from MDP in the upcoming election.

He said there was therefore “no way” MDP’s candidate – President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih – can win the election.

Though he remains the leader of MDP, Nasheed lost control of the party following his loss to President Solih in the presidential primary. President Solih also has a majority at the Parliament. Over a dozen MPs loyal to Nasheed left MDP last month. They have submitted an application to form a new party – The Democrats.