Z Faction entreats PA to break-up coalition with DRP

The “Z Faction” of the Divehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has requested the People’s Alliance (PA) to break up its formal coalition in the People’s Majlis with DRP and start working with the Z Faction.

Ilham Ahmed, MP for Gemanafushi Constituency in the Majlis, the Deputy Leader of DRP and one of the most prominent figures in the Z Faction told today in a press briefing that PA’s continued coalition with DRP would make them a partner in DRP’s “illegal undertakings” in the Majlis, and that termination of the coalition would give PA space to work as in independent political party in the Majlis.

“Today, PA is nothing more than an instrument in the hands of Ahmed Tasmin Ali (DRP Leader) and Abdullah Shahid. PA votes in line with DRP, and PA is therefore being used to increase vote count for DRP stands. The coalition does not really work, and hence we call upon the PA to break up the coalition with DRP and start working with us in the Majlis”, said Ilham.

While the “Z Faction” of DRP includes a number of senior leaders of DRP who have criticized the policies of party leader Tasmin and rallied behind Maumoon Abdul Qayoo, former President and the founder of DRP, the PA is lead by Yamin Abdul Qayyoom, brother of Maumoon.

Ilham assured that there had not been any discussions between his faction and PA yet, but said that there would soon be talks between them.

In the press conference, Ali Arif, MP for Vaikaradhoo Constituency also spoke, saying that in the recent dispute on the composition of Standing Committees in Parliament which held the Majlis in deadlock for over a month, the PA was also to be blamed, and that at the end of the day, PA did not gain anything from the arrangements eventually made. “They (DRP) did not even do so much as holding a meeting with PA, and Tasmin and Shahid did everything according to their whims and caprices. As such, we believe that breaking up coalitions with DRP would only benefit opposition sides”, said Arif.

While the Z Faction has urged PA to terminate their coalitional relations with DRP, a PA official said, on condition of anonymity, that PA had yet made no decisions with regard to breaking up the coalition with DRP. However, he assured that PA was carefully “monitoring” the situation.