MDP and PPM colluded in Speaker vote, says JP

The Jumhooree Party (JP) has suggested collusion between the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in Wednesday’s secret ballot to elect a Speaker and Deputy Speaker for the People’s Majlis.

JP leader and MP Gasim Ibrahim narrowly lost the Speaker position to PPM MP Abdulla Maseeh. But MDP’s ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik won the position of deputy Speaker against PPM’s Abdul Raheem Abdulla.

The JP also condemned the PPM’s unilateral decision to end a coalition agreement made between the two parties in November’s presidential election.

The PPM had announced the dissolution claiming Gasim’s decision to run as Speaker breached the agreement.

But JP has pointed out that the agreement does not address the issue of Majlis Speakership and said Gasim’s exercising his right as an MP must not impact the agreement.

The party has also accused PPM of being irresponsible, claiming the PPM failed to hold discussions on the dispute over the Speaker, failure to appoint JP nominees to political positions as per the agreement, and failure to officially inform JP of the dissolution of the agreement.