The Jumhooree Party’s council members wish for their party leader Qasim Ibrahim to contest in the upcoming presidential election, and discussions are currently underway to enable this, a source for Mihaaru News has confirmed.
The party wishes for Qasim to contest in the first round of the election, the source said. No candidate has ever won the majority of votes in the first round of a presidential election held since 2008. The candidate with the most votes almost always forms a coalition for the run-off round.
The business tycoon has played a significant role in winning swing votes in the Maldives; therefore, Qasim’s political alignment for this election is anticipated. Jumhooree Party is currently part of the ruling coalition. The party has not confirmed whether it will back incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in his re-election bid either.
Meanwhile, there have been rumours circulating that Qasim might form a coalition with the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), whose presidential candidate, former President Abdulla Yameen, has been disqualified from contesting due to his lengthy prison sentence. Qasim formed a coalition with Yameen in the run-off round of the 2013 presidential election.
He also backed former President Mohamed Nasheed in the second round of voting in the landmark 2008 presidential election, against former strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom.
The Jumhooree Party will hold its congress on February 24–25. A formal decision regarding the presidential election will be made at the congress after discussing it with the party’s leadership and members, the source said.
The party’s leadership has been holding meetings at the Sun Island Resort in Kaafu atoll, where Qasim lives, to discuss preparations for the election.
At a press conference held on Tuesday to officially announce Jumhooree Party’s congress, the party’s Deputy Leader Riyaz Rasheed said that Qasim has never been someone who has been pressured into doing things.
"Some people are saying that Qasim gets pressured to do things. Qasim is someone who is capable of making his own decisions. You can see that in his personal business decisions. He leads, he succeeds; he has been successful in the political arena, too," Riyaz said.
He reiterated that every candidate that Qasim backed, has won the election.
While party members have expressed their wish for Qasim to run in the election, Riyaz said that they are also ready to get behind any decision the Jumhooree Party leader makes.
"If he decided to back a party, or contest on his own, or if he wants to carry forward with the [ruling] party, we stand with him; our loyalty is with him, and he knows this."
Jumhooree Party Secretary General Ali Arif assured that the party will always protect the rights of the citizens, adding that Qasim has always advocated for what is right for the citizens.
The presidential election is scheduled to be held on September 9.
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