Dr. Ameen Ibrahim announced as Qasim's running mate

Jumhooree Party (JP) deputy leader Dr. Ameen Ibrahim has been appointed as the running mate of JP leader Qasim Ibrahim.

Former transport minister Dr. Ameen has played a significant role in Qasim's campaign. A press conference held at 2:00 pm today at Jumhooree Party formally announced his appointment.

Dr. Ameen, who held a prominent position in JP during the formation of the current administration, was forced into exile abroad due to challenges posed by the previous government. During his time overseas, he pursued a PhD in Business Administration in the UK.

Ameen Ibrahim was honored with the 2007 Public Service Award in recognition of his contributions to the Dhivehi language.

Jumhooree Party, a member of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's ruling coalition, has chosen to exit the coalition and participate in the election independently. Following this decision, discussions have been initiated with various parties, excluding the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), aimed at forming a coalition led by Jumhooree Party to secure a win in the upcoming elections.

JP also took the lead to challenge MDP by proposing the idea of a unified candidate. Discussions were held with the Maldives National Party (MNP) and The Democrats to explore this possibility. However, no consensus was reached, and each party ultimately chose to participate in the elections independently.

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) was also extended an invitation to form a coalition with JP. However, the largest opposition party in the country, PPM, opted not to align with any other party. PPM has however, indicated the potential for forming a coalition to support a candidate nominated by PPM.