MDP celebratory rally sees empty seat after Nasheed and supporters stay away

Former President Mohamed Nasheed and his supporters boycotted the ‘Heyvalla Thayyaaru’ rally held on Monday evening to celebrate the opposition MDP’s victory in Saturday’s elections.

Tension inside the party has escalated after Nasheed was removed from the list of speakers for the event.

An empty seat was placed between former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and MDP interim chairman Abdul Ghafoor Moosa at the start of the rally. The seat was later removed shortly after the session began.

In a post on his unofficial X account, Nasheed wrote that although Monday evening was a happy night, he felt sad.

Mi ufaaveri rey, varah hihdhathi vehje.

— MN unofficial (@anedhivehirajje) April 6, 2026

The original agenda for the rally included speeches by Nasheed, former President Solih, the five MDP mayors who defended their seats, and interim chairman Ghafoor Moosa. However, the agenda was abruptly revised, removing the speeches of Nasheed and Solih. The updated lineup includes speeches by the five mayors, Ghafoor, and party president Abdulla Shahid.

The sudden change, made without informing Nasheed, has caused significant friction within the party. Many of Nasheed’s supporters have also said they would not attend Monday evening’s rally.