MDP denies signing a coalition agreement
Latheef said he has never signed a coalition agreement described by JP leader Qasim
MDP chairperson Hassan Latheef (l) on RaajjeTV\'s Fashaairu show
Ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chairperson Hassan Latheef has denied signing a coalition agreement.
Speaking on RaajjeTV’s morning show Fashaairu on Sunday, Latheef said he signs off on many documents but that he has never signed a coalition agreement described by Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim.
Latheef said that MDP has not signed an agreement with the coalition but made individual agreements concerning the government and related issues with the coalition parties, including JP.
JP leader Qasim has accused MDP for violating their coalition agreement by deciding to contest all seats in the parliamentary election instead of distributing them with all coalition parties.
Latheef said that he and then-presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had signed a proposal of Qasim after he repeatedly insisted, but that it was not an official coalition agreement.
He also said that while MDP has an agreement with JP, the workings of the government should rely on the advice and instructions of all coalition parties.
Other senior JP members have also condemned MDP for vying for all seats in parliament, and Qasim has threatened to form a coalition with other parties.
However, coalition partners Adhaalath Party and the Maumoon Reform Movement have vowed to stay in the government coalition.
