JP council did not decide to work with ‘Progressive Coalition’: party president

Jumhooree Party’s (JP) council has nothing to do with the announced decision to work with the ‘Progressive Coalition’, party president Ali Waheed has said.

Waheed, who is also minister in the current government, says that the party has made no official decision in this regard.

The minister expressed discontent with the alliance, saying that JP, being a member of the government coalition, should not be working with a party outside the coalition.

JP leader Qasim Ibrahim announced his willingness to work with parties outside the government coalition on March 9th.

Qasim expressed dismay over coalition partner Maldivian Democratic Party contesting for all but one of 87 seats in the upcoming parliamentary election.

JP also claims that MDP had violated an agreement between members of the coalition dividing seats among them with 40 percent for MDP, 25 percent for JP, 30 for Maumoon Reform Movement, and 15 for Adhaalath Party.

However, MDP denies that such an agreement exists and after members of other parties in the coalition began referring to said agreement, they conceded that it was proposed and signed by MDP, but ‘not by all parties, and is unenforceable’.

At a rally this week, MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed defended his party’s position by saying that dividing constituencies among parties in the coalition could have infringed on the rights of constituents.

Qasim has accused MDP of casting JP ‘aside’ and has expressed his willingness to work with parties outside the coalition, in the upcoming election.

JP is fielding candidates for over 30 constituencies and in February, a JP aligned parliamentarian submitted a bill to bar former presidents from the election, which has been interpreted by MDP as a direct attempt to hinder party leader Nasheed’s bid for the central-Mahchangoalhi seat.