PA finally breaks up coalition with DRP

People’s Alliance (PA), the only party which has continued a coalition arrangement with the main opposition Divehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), has finally broken the coalition following a party Council resolution. A press release issued yesterday by PA said that “agreement to cooperate politically with DRP” was annulled by the party Council in a meeting held last Wednesday, by a unanimous decision of 12 members present.

PA has terminated its coalition agreement with DRP a few days after the Z Faction, an internal break-away group of dissenters from DRP, has called on them to stop working with DRP. PA is headed by Abdullah Yamin, the brother of Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom, former president of the Maldives, founder of DRP, and the leader of the Z Faction of DRP.

PA statement said that its coalition with DRP was terminated due to DRP’s lack of enthusiasm and commitment to work in accordance with the agreement between themselves since the Congress of DRP last year. PA also said that DRP leadership under Ahmed Tasmin Ali has not put in a desirable effort to continue the coalition, and that DRP had ignored the very foundations and spirit of the coalition agreement. Another reason given for PA decision was DRP’s “failure to hold the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) accountable, and to support other opposition sides in their efforts to hold the MDP government in check”.

PA also claimed that Ahmed Tasmin Ali failed to perform his responsibilities as a majority leader in the People’s Majlis during the days of coalition. “A number of MPs with DRP left the party and joined the ruling MDP, and this led to loss of majority in the Majlis, loss of the power to enforce any decisions in the Majlis, and we became the minority side”, said the PA statement.

PA expressed hopes for a fully new phase of holding the government accountable, after its decision to break up with DRP.

DRP leader Ahmed Tasmin Ali has not been available for comment, though another DRP official said that PA and DRP would still cooperate with each other in the Majlis. “PA has officially informed us that the alliance between the two parties were no longer in effct. However, I have no doubt that coalition or no coalition, our two sides will still work in cooperation with each other in the future”, he said.

While DRP in the Majlis comprises of a 24 member bloc, PA controls 7 seats, making it a comparatively significant minority.