Jumhoory Party Leader discounts talks about coalition with DRP

There is no reason for Jumhoory Party to enter into a coalition with Divehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), the biggest opposition in the People’s Majlis, only in relation to the issue of Standing Committee composition, says Mr. Qasim Ibrahim, leader of the party. He said that Jumhoory Party was “not a prostitute” to answer such calls.

DRP leadership has spoken a number of times to the media about a prospective coalition in Parliament with Jumhoory Party, but Mr. Qasim discounted the talks. Speaking to Sun, he said that his party had made no decision to enter into a coalition with DRP, and that they needed to mull things over before entering into any such arrangements. One of the things to be carefully considered, according to Qasim, was the issue of which faction of DRP to join. He was referring to the fact that there has recently being a divide among the senior members of DRP, resulting in the creation of a powerful group within DRP that has supported DRP founder and former President al-Ustad Maumoon Abdul Qayyum, opposed the policies of current party leader Mr. Ahmed Tasmin Ali, and styled itself as the “Z Faction”.

“DRP is divided, and before we enter into a coalition with them, we have to decide which faction we must join. DRP leadership under Tasmin has been talking about this coalition, but we have not yet made any decisions on a prospective coalition,” affirmed Qasim.

Qasim also clarified that the main reason why he was not ready to enter into a coalition with DRP was that the arrangement was limited to the matter of People’s Majlis Standing Committees. He said that he was determined to bring reform to the government for the sake of the people, and that he did not wish to be an instrument for furthering the selfish agendas of any particular group. “Council of the Jumhoory Party has not made any decision to enter into a coalition with DRP”, said Qasim, rejecting the reports that have claimed that such an approval had in fact been given. He said that the Council had given him the authority to decide on any coalition in the interests of the country and the people.

On the other hand, Mr. Ahmed Tasmin Ali, DRP leader, said today that in order to form a coalition between his party and Jumhoory Party, some formalities still needed to be completed. According to him, the only thing that remained yet to be done was the approval of councils of the parties. He also said that there could be discussions between the leaderships of the two parties over the issue of People’s Majlis Standing Committee composition, if need arise.

Meanwhile, there was a meeting of the DRP Council last night, in which 17 members in session had unanimously voted their approval of a coalition with Jumhoory Party. However, no council member belonging to the “Z Faction” of the party participated in last night’s meeting. Z Faction has stated that they fully supported a DRP/PA and Jumhoory Party coalition in the People’s Majils, and that Mr. Qasim Ibrahim, and not DRP leader Mr. Ahmed Tasmin Ali, should lead the coalition in the Majlis.