Nasheed confirms phone call from Solih after rejoining MDP

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has confirmed that former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih called him after he rejoined the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Nasheed, a founding member and former president of the MDP, left the party in 2023 following a dispute with Solih, who was then serving as the President of the Maldives. The disagreement led to a breakdown in their relationship, with the two not communicating for an extended period.

On Monday, Nasheed officially returned to the MDP. Sources close to him said Solih, currently in Malaysia, reached out via phone to congratulate him.

When questioned by journalists, Nasheed briefly confirmed the call, saying, “Yes, he called,” but declined to provide further details.

Solih had earlier posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) congratulating members of the Democrats for rejoining the MDP, although he did not mention Nasheed by name.

Nasheed’s departure from the MDP was among several factors observers cite in relation to Solih’s failure to secure a second presidential term in the 2023 election.

Prior to his return to the MDP, Nasheed had also communicated with some of Solih’s close political associates, expressing interest in contesting future presidential elections.