MDP bans messaging in WhatsApp group after faction arguments
In another message to the group, Waheed, referring to Rozaina, posted a riddle, "Which demon attaches itself to every president?"
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Official WhatsApp group of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party's (MDP) National Assembly has been restricted for general messages after members began getting into heated arguments in the group.
It has become common for lawmakers supporting the party's senior leader, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and the faction supporting the party's president and parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed to intervene on various issues. Most recently, the dispute between the two factions heated u:p:
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After members of Nasheed’s faction raised questions over granting a second term to President Solih during a budget debate held in parliament on Thursday
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Addu Meedhoo MP Rozaina Adam, who belongs to President Solih's faction, responded to the comments on Twitter and the WhatsApp group
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Responding to Rozaina, who joined MDP after starting her political career with the DRP founded by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, members of Nasheed’s faction said Rozaina has the record for praising the most number of presidents.
When Rozaina was addressed on Twitter, the same argument was going on in the WhatsApp group. Rozaina continued to respond to the comments.
In the end, the rift between the two factions escalated, forcing party chairperson and economy minister Fayyaz Ismail to change the settings of the group so that messages could not be sent by members. With the change in setting early Saturday morning, only group admins can message.
"This is the first time messaging has been denied in the group," a member of parliament, who was in the group told Atoll Times on Saturday, on condition of anonymity.
Two members of the National Assembly confirmed to Atoll Times that the group's setting was the same until the publication of the story.
Before making the WhatsApp group unable to message, Rozaina hit back at former president Nasheed and members of his faction, saying he was "not satisfied even when his own party came to power".
"For four years all that's been done is to try to end the era of President Solih. God willing, that won't happen," Rozaina said.
"God gives power and takes it back too. God willing, President [Solih] will complete a second term."
On Friday evening, some members of the group posted videos of Rozaina, who won the election of the party's women's wing president in September, praising different presidents in the past. Among them were videos of Rozaina's speech praising former president Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik when he contested the 2013 presidential election.
"Will slip away before the next elections are over," Ungoofaaru MP Mohamed Waheed said in the group in response to Rozaina.
In the first round of the 2013 presidential election, the DRP, where Rozaina was at the time, backed Waheed. Waheed's running mate was then DRP leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali. The DRP later formed an alliance with MDP in that election. After the election, Rozaina left DRP and joined MDP on 21 November 2013.
Responding to statements made by members of the Nasheed faction in the group, which also houses President Solih, Rozaina said that it was "cult puppets" who did not want to give President Solih a second term.
According to members of Nasheed's faction, there is rampant corruption in the current government, and this government has not fulfilled its promise to the people. Citing these reasons, those lawmakers have been refusing to give President Solih a second term.
