Government aligned Jumhoory Party (JP) Thursday announced that it would contest the next presidential elections in 2018.
The party's council passed a motion on Thursday but did not decide on a candidate.
According to the party's charter, the party's leader would be also be the automatic presidential candidate.
However, an amendment to the constitution passed last year, putting a 65 age cap on presidential candidates had taken current JP leader Gasim Ibrahim out of the running.
The business tycoon had unsuccessfully contested the last two presidential elections and had almost pipped incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to second place which he later won after a run off with former president Mohamed Nasheed.
JP and Gasim however, remains a key political player as the party's support had secured the last two elections, first for Nasheed ain 2018 and later for Yameen.
The council had also designated members who would represent the party in the Commonwealth led all party talks with the government.
Deputy JP leader Abdulla Riyaz who is one of the three lawmakers voted to represent the party in the talks said it would push the government to annul recent unconstitutional laws including the age cap on presidential candidates.
President Yameen has already launched his re-election campaign while his former home minister Umar Naseer had also announced his intentions to run for office in 2018.
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