11 top MRM officials quit party to back Solih's re-election

Eleven senior members of the Maldives Reform Movement (MRM) have decided to leave the party in support of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's re-election for a second term.

MRM, which is part of the current government's coalition, is yet to take a decision on forming a coalition President Solih for a second term. The party has already begun talks to form an alliance with its presidential candidate, President Solih, and has submitted proposals.

The MRM, however, is in talks with other parties as well.

A member of the MRM executive committee, who spoke to Atoll Times on condition of anonymity, said the 11 members resigned en masse because they could not work together again due to internal issues. He added that all the members who resigned are in favour of president Solih's re-election for a second term.

Heritage minister Yumna Maumoon, daughter of party founder Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and higher education minister Dr Ibrahim Hassan are not among the members resigning, the member confirmed.

"But they are also advocating support for President Solih," he said.

MRM is divided over supporting President Solih. Some senior members have expressed hope of fielding their own candidate for the September 9 election.

The matter escalated when party vice-president Aiminath Nadira attended a press conference held by lawyers on Wednesday criticising the government over the delimitation of the Maldives' maritime borders with Chagos. 

A meeting of the executive committee headed by former president Maumoon was held Wednesday evening, according to a member of the committee.