Opposition coalition to work with 'all parties except MDP'

Opposition coalition, Progressive Congress, has on Monday said that it will submit a no-confidence motion against Defence Minister Mariya Didi.

Members of coalition parties- Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC)- made the announcement at a press conference in the afternoon, about an hour after their leader former President Abdulla Yameen was summoned to court for the first hearing in the money laundering charges raised against him.

At the press conference, PNC president Abdul Raheem Abdulla said that they will submit the no-confidence motion against the defence minister “next week.”

Noting that this is part of the coalition’s work to hold the government accountable, Raheem further said that they will keep a close eye on Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid.

“We will go after [government officials] one by one,” he added.

The opposition coalition also noted that they are ready to work with all coalition parties “expect Maldivian Democratic Party.”

While there are reports that the Progressive Congress is currently in talks with ruling coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP), Raheem said that they are doing “everything necessary” to ensure that the main ruling MDP does not attain majority in April’s parliamentary elections.

As such, he said that “the formula” they are using is, pulling back candidates from certain constituencies that they might not win so as to support a candidate from another party.

He also called on JP leader Qasim Ibrahim to join their coalition, adding that he is certain that Qasim "will not sit idly by and let MDP do whatever they want."

Speaking regarding Yameen being summoned to court, Raheem called on his supporters to remain steadfast with him.

While none of the supporters were at the Criminal Court during the hearing, Raheem claimed that the former president had requested this.

The Court has since ruled to keep Yameen in detention until his trial in money laundering charges conclude.