Future of Maldives ruling coalition thrown into doubt
JP leader Gasim Ibrahim announced he was open to talks with other parties to challenge the MDP.
20 Jan 2019, 9:00 AM
The Maldivian Democratic Party-led coalition appears to be on the verge of collapse after Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim announced he was open to talks with other parties to jointly contest the upcoming parliamentary elections.
After escalating attacks against MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed at campaign events over the past week, Gasim accused the party of breaching a coalition agreement by deciding to field candidates in all 87 constituencies.
“JP, once again, has to beg because MDP has rejected us and thrown us out on the streets when they got power. JP is now prepared to go into talks with all sides to jointly field candidates for the parliamentary polls,” the lawmaker and owner of the Villa business empire tweeted Friday night as votes were being counted in the MDP’s primaries.
MDP candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won September’s presidential election after forming a coalition with Gasim’s JP, the Adhaalath Party, and a breakaway faction of the Progressive Party of Maldives led by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
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