Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has expressed interest in joining forces with President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s faction in the divided ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
At a time when several entities have left the political coalition that had brought the current government to power, DRP is offering to work with PPM in the upcoming local council elections.
President Yameen’s faction of PPM discussed DRP’s proposal at the party council meeting held late Monday.
Nilandhoo MP Abdulla Haleel, the secretary general of President Yameen’s faction, announced after the council sit-down that a certain political party has expressed interest in joining forces with PPM after the judicial courts handed over the party’s control to President Yameen from his half-brother and party leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Without revealing the interested party’s name, Haleel said that PPM will reach a decision over the proposal soon.
Meanwhile, DRP’s acting leader Mohamed “Colonel” Nasheed has yet to comment on his party’s decision.
DRP was founded by former president and current PPM leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. He left the party in 2008 following conflicts within DRP after he lost the presidential elections that year. The party was split over the next leader to take over DRP after Gayoom stepped down. DRP was then led by former home minister and Gayoom’s running mate in the 2008 elections Ahmed Thasmeen Ali. He had also later left the party to join main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
With the recent amendment to the Political Parties Act stipulating that members of parties must submit their fingerprints for party registration, DRP currently has 3000 members.
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