Former Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Alhan Fahmy has announced that if he becomes affiliated with another political party during this administration, “it will be the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).”
The MP for Seenu Feydho was suspended from the DRP after he voted against the party during a no-confidence motion against Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed, after he elected to renew diplomatic ties with Israel.
The party’s disciplinary committee suspended Alhan from the party for six months and requested he apologise to DRP members, which he refused to do. He was threatened with expulsion if he failed to comply.
Today Alhan told Minivan News he believed the country was divided between two major political parties, “and all the others are paper parties.”
He said he was not currently a member of any party, but added that it would “not be long” before he joined one.
”I haven’t decided when, but I will be joining very soon,” he said.
Alhan said he had no interest in joining the DRP under “the current leader”.
Ahmed Thasmeen Ali was yesterday elected DRP leader by default after no one else in the party stood against him.
DRP spokesman Ibrahim Shareef said Alhan’s “excuses” for expressing interest in joining MDP were “not acceptable.”
“He is still a member of DRP. If he is jumping to MDP he is betraying his party members and the people of the country” he added.
MDP spokesman Ahmed Haleem said the MDP would “welcome Alhan into our party”, adding that the jump was “very close to happening.”
Haleem said that Alhan was the DRP’s “best politician.”
DRP MP Ahmed Mahloof said that he would be “very pleased” to see Alhan join MDP, because he had “betrayed the DRP.”
”If he jumps to MDP that would make him a political prostitute,” Mahloof said, noting that Alhan was currently not a member of the party.
DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom said that everyone “has the right to join any party”, but added that he did not want to comment on this particular case.
MDP MP Easa said the MDP would welcome Alhan to the party, if he chose to join, noting that Alhan “was one of the best performers in the parliament.”
”Our parliamentary group will be very strong if he joins,” Easa said.
MDP MP Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik said that Alhan would be a major loss to the DRP.
”If the DRP think jumping from one party to another is a bad habit, why did they accept Umar Naseer?” he asked.