Ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has claimed that the bill proposed to bar former presidents from contesting in the parliamentary election was aimed at their leader Mohamed Nasheed.

In a press conference on Tuesday, MDP chairperson Hassan Latheef said that the amendment bill, proposed by Jumhooree Party (JP) member and Dhidhdhoo MP Abdul Latheef Mohamed, is unconstitutional.

MP Latheef proposed to add the amendment to the Parliamentary Elections Act, which currently only bars judges from contesting the election.

The MDP chairperson said that the bill cannot be accepted as it undermines the constitution and criticized members of the government coalition taking such action on their own.

Chairperson Latheef assured that Nasheed will be contesting in the upcoming parliamentary election and denied there being any rift between the coalition parties.

Abdulla Riyaz, the leader of the coalition’s parliamentary group, has said that MP Latheef proposed the bill without discussing it with them.