JP to work with government if agreements are honoured: Qasim

The Maldivian coalition government’s Jumhooree Party (JP) is ready to work with its partners ‘if and when’ agreements made between them are honoured, says party leader Qasim Ibrahim.

Qasim told a press conference on Sunday that their coalition partner, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) signed an agreement on the parliamentary elections, which the latter refuses to acknowledge.

The JP leader said MDP chairperson Hassan Latheef signed an agreement to allow his party to contest for 25 percent of the 87-seat People’s Majlis, Maldives’ unicameral parliament.

Qasim says that the ‘spirit’ of the agreement was to ensure longevity of a ‘joint’ parliamentary group, where all parties in the coalition together form a majority.

At Sunday’s press conference, Qasim said that the JP will support the government and help President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih fulfill his pledges, but only if said ‘legally binding’ agreements are honoured.

Qasim accused MDP of violating this agreement by deciding to contest for all constituencies in the upcoming elections, which are currently slated for April 6th.

He also defended JP’s recent decision to work with parties outside the coalition in the run-up for the elections, saying that his party has been ‘cast aside’.

Shortly after MDP announced its decision to contest for all constituencies, JP aligned MP Abdulla Riyaz also said that an agreement dividing up seats between coalition partners exists.

While unconfirmed, Aminath Nadira of the Maumoon Reform Movement said in an interview to RaajjeTV in late December that their campaign for the elections has been delayed by an ‘agreement on the People’s Majlis elections’.

However, after MDP’s council decided to contest for all 87 constituencies in the upcoming elections, chairperson Latheef said that MDP has not signed any agreement regarding the vote.