No political party can win Maldivian elections without JP on its side: Sameer

No political party in the Maldives is capable of victory in the upcoming presidential elections without the assistance of the Jumhooree Party (JP), says party secretary general Ahmed Sameer.

In an interview with RaajjeTV on Thursday night, Sameer said that the party will win the presidential elections and that it will not be the result of any allegiances it has made but owing to the support it has garnered.

“Some parties say they are the biggest and have the most in number and so are the most revered, this is not the case. There can be no victory without the support of the Jumhooree Party” Sameer said.

Sameer further said that all political parties in the Maldives are required to work together, due to the size of the society and because laws and other mechanisms of state require it.

The long-serving party official described the JP as now being ripe to face ballots alone and emerging victorious without the support of the Joint Opposition, or ‘anyone else’ as he described it.

However, Sameer maintained that the party is committed to establishing a unified coalition government in the Maldives.

Sameer also said in his interview on Thursday that the JP’s policies in this regard and noted how party leader Qasim Ibrahim had advocated unity among local political parties during an address this week.

JP began its third congress assembly on Friday at Paradise Island Resort, after being refused a state venue for leasing to hold the event.

While prominent members of JP and its opposition partner Maldivian Democratic Party attended the congress, there have been reports of disagreement between parties.

This week, JP publicized a shadow cabinet of leader Qasim’s choosing, that had no members of the Maldivian Democratic Party.