DRP has not been notified of any member leaving the party: Thasmeen

Leader of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has stated that he has complete confidence in his party members and that he has not yet been notified of any member leaving the party.

Speaking to the press regarding the reports currently circulating in the media about the alleged move of DRP Council Member and Parliament Speaker Abdulla Shahid to the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Thasmeen said that he completely trusts all party members until they prove otherwise, and that DRP will progress and grow to be more cohesive in the future.

Thasmeen however did not provide any more detail regarding the allegations that Shahid has left the party, even when prompted by the press.

“DRP has not been notified that any of our members have left DRP. We trust all our members, as long as they don’t decide otherwise. So I don’t ask our senior members if they are still with the party. I don’t believe I have to ask them either.” Thasmeen said.

Thasmeen also reiterated his position that DRP will not go into a coalition with MDP, saying that under his leadership, DRP will not form a coalition with MDP as long as the party is led by former president Mohamed Nasheed. He said that if such a circumstance arise during the lead-up to the upcoming presidential election, he will resign as the leader of DRP.

Regarding Shahid’s supposed transfer to MDP, Thasmeen had on earlier occasions stressed that Shahid has his full confidence and that he does not doubt Shahid's loyalty to the party.

Thasmeen had previously defended Shahid on several occasions following allegations that Shahid has held biased leniencies towards MDP, stating that such rumors were instigated to defame senior members of his party.