MDA abandons coalition with MDP to back Muizzu

Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), on Tuesday night, decided to back the presidential candidate of the opposition coalition comprising of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC), Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, in the runoff of the presidential election slated for this Saturday.

MDA, which had backed main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s presidential candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the incumbent president, in the first round of the presidential election, held a national council meeting on Tuesday night, to make a decision regarding the runoff.

Three proposals were put forth during the meeting; to reaffirm support for President Solih for the runoff, to support Muizzu in the runoff and to support neither candidate.

Two members of the council voted in favor of supporting neither candidate, another two had voted in favor of reaffirming support for President Solih while 33 members voted in favor of supporting Muizzu.

Speaking to the press after the council meeting – MDA’s Deputy President Ali Mauroof said many members of the party’s national council urged a meeting after the Muizzu’s landslide victory in the first round, to President Solih.

Mauroof cited the main concern the council members raised during the meeting as MDP’s lack of activities after the first round.

He noted that some of the members had remarked the people have already made a decision – as the opposition candidate had won the first round with a landslide difference of 15,000 votes, despite President Solih being the incumbent. 

Mauroof stressed that no other political parties forming a coalition with the president had become a huge obstruction for him to win the election, adding support for Muizzu even seeing a further increase, which was noted by many council members.

“Also was noted their complete silence following the conclusion of the first round. Some members said that the closure of party centers in all islands and lack of activity for 15 days amounted to acceptance of defeat,” he added,

Mauroof, underscoring MDA was incepted to serve the nation, said the party, following the council’s decision to back Muizzu in a landslide vote, decided to form a coalition with who is most likely to win in order to serve the nation.