Yameen asks PPM-PNC to avoid JP tie up in runoff
"Every time we have to give him a lagoon and ministries in a coalition government. This time we will not have that interest," said a PPM source.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
The PPM-PNC, which won the most votes in the first round, does not want to form a coalition with the jumhoory Party (JP) in the second round of the presidential election after the coalition's leader, jailed former President Abdulla Yameen instructed the coalition to avoid any tie up with JP.
Provisional results of Saturday's election show main opposition PPM-PNC's Dr Mohamed Muizz leading the polls with 46%, while President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih secured 39%.
To win outright, a candidate needs more than 50% of the votes. From the preliminary results, it is certain that a runoff between the top two contenders will take place on September 30.
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The JP, which has more than 22,000 members, received about 5,000 votes or 2.5% of votes
The invitation to form a coalition with Gasim in the second round of the election has been extended so far only by President Solih. Several senior JP and PPM officials confirmed to Atoll Times that the JP has not yet received an invitation from the PPM to form a coalition. One reason, they say, is that the PPM is not interested in giving the JP a share of the government due to the low votes it received in the election.
"Even before this election, [former] President [Abdulla] Yameen had told us not to form a coalition with Gasim in the second round. He has instructed us not to form a coalition with Gasim in the second round unles he gets 10,000 votes," a PPM source said on condition of anonymity.
"There is no point in forming a coalition with the JP with the way the election results have now come."
Another leader of Muizz's campaign, who did not want to be named, said every vote in the second round was important but the party had no interest in forming a coalition to give the JP a share of the government.
"When we look at forming a coalition with Gasim, his terms will be very difficult. Every time we will give him a lagoon and ministries in a coalition government. This time we will not have that interest," he said.
Although Atoll Times confirmed that the PPM has not extended an official invitation to the JP, Muizz invited all political parties and leaders who contested the election overall to the event held at Artificial Beach on Sunday to celebrate the PPM-PNC's election result.
