The Jumhooree Party (JP)'s National Conference has passed a resolution calling on the party to form a coalition or nominate a candidate for this year's presidential election.
The resolution, submitted by former South Thinadhoo MP Abdulla Ahmed, was passed unanimously on Saturday night.
JP Leader and Maamigilli MP Qasim Ibrahim said the resolution was not binding on the council, but he would take the resolution and the views of the members of the conference to the party council nonetheless.
According to the amendment to JP's regulations, the council will decide whether the party will nominate a presidential candidate. When the opportunity arises, the candidate is determined by a vote in the council.
Qasim chaired the debate on the resolution calling for JP to form a coalition or nominate a candidate for this year's presidential election. He gave way to debate, and occasionally made some political remarks.
About 750 members attended the party's congress, but only 416 were present at the time of the debate. The resolution was passed unanimously by the members present at the congress.
The resolution said other political parties have won every presidential election since a multi-party system was established in the Maldives, with the support of JP. The last time the party contested the 2013 presidential election, they failed to reach the second round by a narrow margin.
JP has the support to contest in major elections, and the upcoming presidential election is the best opportunity to establish a government of JP, the resolution said.
"...to contest in the first round of the 2023 presidential election with a JP presidential candidate or to form a coalition led by the JP," the resolution said.
Many of the members who debated the resolution were of the view that Qasim should not go ahead with the existing coalition in the upcoming presidential election.
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