Nasheed says with MDP to regain party control
When asked by other journalists about his resignation from the party, Nasheed repeatedly said he did not have that intention.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Ruling MDP president Mohamed Nasheed said on Monday that he does not have any intentions of leaving the MDP yet and wants to "take over" the party.
In response to a question from Atoll Times at a press conference in parliament on Monday, Nasheed denied that he is going to form a political party despite his aides quitting MDP and applying to register The Democrats as a new party. He also said he had no intention of leaving the MDP.
"I am not forming a political party. The founder [of The Democrats] is [Henveiru West MP] Hassan Latheef as far as I know," Nasheed said when asked whether it was democratic to form a new party while he was MDP president.
Nasheed on Monday said that the founding values of MDP have now been abandoned altogether. He said that "half of the promises made to the people" have not been fulfilled and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has ruled the country for the past four years without consulting MDP.
"Then whether I leave the MDP or not, depends on, I have a lot of confidence that after September 9 [presidential election], the MDP will not be in the hands of the president," he said.
Nasheed said:
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Those who left the MDP and joined The Democrats will take away some number of MDP votes in the presidential election
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If the MDP loses enough votes, there is no way for President Solih to win the election
"I am not leaving the MDP and I am waiting now, to bring this party in to The Democrats, make MDP whole again. That work will take place after September 9," he said.
When asked by other journalists about his resignation from the party, Nasheed repeatedly said he did not have that intention.
Nasheed denied that The Democrats is a party he is leading, but expressed concern that the Elections Commission is delaying the party's registration. That is one of the reasons for holding Monday’s press conference, he said.
Nasheed spoke in a manner that accused the government of influencing the commission to delay the registration of The Democrats. He also called upon the state not to do so.
“I have to say to President [Solih] that indeed I have spent my whole life trying to ensure that Maldivians have freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press and basic rights,” he said, lashing out at his one time close friend and now rival, President Solih.
The rights, which were won through the hard work of many, should not be taken away, Nasheed said.
"No power in the state should do anything but encourage the formation of a political party. It is very bad to act otherwise, especially in an MDP government," Nasheed said.
