Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group leader and MP Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik has denied rumours the MDP is planning forward a no-confidence motion against Speaker of the Parliament, DRP MP Abdulla Shahid.
Late last week, opposition leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Ahmed Thasmeen Ali alleged that some DRP and coalition partner People’s Alliance (PA) MPs were plotting with MDP MPs to forward a no-confidence motion against the Speaker.
‘’MDP MPs will always, always vote according to the party line,” claimed Moosa, dismissing rumours of a planned no-confidence motion against Shahid.
“MDP is not a party divided into factions and groups,’’ he added, in reference to the recent factional turmoil within the opposition.
He claimed the intention of the rumours was to divide the MDP parliamentary group, “because DRP has already been split,’’ he claimed. “MDP will never fall into factions, no matter how much the opposition tries.’’
Thasmeen last week told the media he would not support such a vote, and assurances that “most” of the DRP MPs would not vote against Shahid.
The PA Secretary General Ahmed Shareef told Minivan News that no information on the accusations raised last week by Thasmeen.
“Nothing has been done to forward a no-confidence motion [against the Speaker],” said Shareef.
DRP MP Ahmed Nihan also dismissed rumours of the joint no-confidence motion against the Speaker as false.
”There are a few who are trying to split our party and they are taking advantage of this,” said Nihan. ”They are circulating this rumor through the media, and as far as I am concerned, it has never been discussed.”
He said that no DRP MPs had informed him of a potential no-confidence motion.
Meanwhile, DRP MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom emphasised that DRP MPs “will not join the no-confidence motion against Shahid and have not even discussed anything like that.”
Dr Mausoom said he could confirm that DRP MPs had not planned to put the motion forward.
”There maybe someone bitter about Shahid who wishes to do so, but he is the best Speaker of parliament I have ever seen,” Dr Mausoom said. ”He has worked in a very volatile environment, but he has handled the situation well as a smooth operator.”
Dr Mausoom said he was ready to breach the party’s three-line whip in the event the DRP did decided to put forward a motion to dismiss the Speaker.
However, daily newspaper Haveeru has quoted a DRP MP anonymously that discussions about forwarding a motion to dismiss Shahid have been going on for two months, along with potential candidates for the speaker position.
Leader of the DRP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali originally raised the matter when he told the media that he had information that a no-confidence motion against Shahid was to be filed in parliament in what would be rare cooperation between DRP, MDP and PA MPs.
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If this guy denies anything then it must be true. He's not wired correctly.
Damhoodh.. yah right...
congenial lier!!!
Chasmeen is trying to get sympathy votes from shaky MDP members and show that MDP parliamentary group is happy with Shahid's actions. They would want to make MPs of MDP praise Shahid, thereby mitigating (at least in front of the general public)all the wrong-doings of Shahid.
On top of this, DRP-PA are notoriously well-known for forwarding no-confidence motions to kick-out anyone they displeases. Now, they realise that, public does not condone their behaviour and would want to Shahid be praised by MDP MPs and show a different face to the public and forget all unconstitutional laws they have been passing while Shahid is the Speaker of the Majlis.
For MDP, it would not be a good move to get into this no-confidence motion trend of DRP.