President Abdulla Yameen’s faction of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has passed to remove its leader and founder, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

The decision was made at a council meeting held by President Yameen’s faction of PPM on Sunday. Inguraidhoo constituency MP, Ibrahim Falah had submitted the resolution to remove the party leader.

Maumoon’s half-brother, President Yameen had presided over the meeting, where all members present had voted in favor of removing Maumoon. The case has since been sent to the party’s disciplinary committee.

MP Falah confirmed to RaajjeMV that the council had passed to remove Maumoon from the party, and that it has been forwarded to the disciplinary committee.

The work to remove former President Maumoon was started a day after the Inguraidhoo MP, on Saturday, announced that the party will carry out the necessary work to remove Maumoon as party leader.

READ MORE: PPM to remove ex-President Maumoon from party leadership

Falah, speaking at the press conference held by PPM and its coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) on Saturday, said that the only reason Maumoon remained at the post “is due to the immense support” President Yameen has for him.

He added that Maumoon “will not remain as party leader,” if the party’s parliamentary group wished to do so.

In October 2016, Civil Court ordered to handover the party’s control to President Yameen, PPM’s chief advisor. The Court ruling was upheld by High Court.

The PPM’s official head office has since been changed to the head office of PPM leader, with Yameen’s faction opening a new office a few blocks away.

Former President Maumoon was elected the leader of PPM in a congress meeting in 2013. If he is removed from the party registry, he will lose the post.

"MP Wadde's removal from PPM"

MP Waheed “Wadde” Ibrahim was removed from PPM earlier on Sunday.

The disciplinary committee of President Yameen’s faction of PPM made the decision on Sunday.

While RaajjeMV has been unable to get a comment from the faction, the Committee’s chair Ali Waheed has confirmed Waheed’s dismissal.

Waheed has been a strong critic of President Abdulla Yameen’s administration.

After the party split in 2016, Waheed opted to take President Maumoon’s side, and has been active in the reform work being carried out by the former President.

He is also one of the 26 lawmakers who submitted the no-confidence motion against speaker Maseeh.

Following Maseeh’s removal from the party, President Maumoon, via twitter, said that the dismissal is “illegal and invalid”.