Deputy Leader and MP of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Ali Waheed has submitted his resignation letter to the DRP Office this morning, amid rumors that he is about to join ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
Relevant sources have confirmed to Minivan News that Waheed submitted his resignation to the DRP Office this morning, and that the MDP will hold a special ceremony tomorrow night where Waheed will sign with the MDP.
Ali Waheed has not been responding to calls from any media since rumours of his decision began to circulate last weekend. He has so far only said that if he makes a political decision, he will make it publicly to the media and the people.
A senior MDP official speaking on condition of anonymity told Minivan News that Waheed will join MDP tomorrow night, “along with two other DRP MPs.”
He also claimed that the MPs were not joining the MDP for money, as claimed by the opposition’s Gayoom faction MP Ahmed Nihan earlier this week.
”They decided to join the MDP because of the internal conflict in their party,” the source said. “The MPs feel worried and insecure, so they are moving towards a direction where they have a future,” he said. ”Due to this internal conflict in the party the MPs on the side of DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali in particular are very concerned. Those MPs did not shift sides for cash, they are very loyal to Thasmeen.”
He said that Thasmeen and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom will try and hold the remaining MPs in the party, but said that the MPs were “very concerned and worried about their future.”
”If Gayoom wants to run for the presidency during the next elections, he will have to do it right, according to the party’s charter,” the source said.
DRP Deputy Leader and Spokesperson Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef recently told Minivan News that rumours of Waheed’s impending departure were “propaganda to try to discredit some of us in the party.”
“Ali Waheed is a rising star with widespread support, and it would be a great blow to the party if he were to leave,” Shareef acknowledged.
Thasmeen meanwhile told Minivan News that he would not believe Waheed had joined MDP until he saw it actually happen.
Changing political landscape
The recent election of another former opposition MP – Alhan Fahmy – to the deputy leadership of the ruling party may be a key factor in luring ambitious MPs from the troubled opposition. However if rumours of money changing hands proved true, several MDP members have privately expressed concern that this risked unsettling grassroots members loyal to the ruling party from the beginning. Further discontent is likely on the islands among those constituents who voted for a party, rather than the MP.
The MDP also risks importing potential skeletons into the party along with the MP, such as the case with former Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Hassan Adhil who is currently under house arrest and facing charges of child molestation.
Furthermore, the departure of MPs loyal to Thasmeen’s faction will place further pressure on the more prosaic side of the opposition, limiting its ability to resist the leadership ambitions of Gayoom’s far less compromising ‘Z-Faction’ and risks greater destabilisation of the opposition.
The MDP has however struggled to pass legislation in the opposition-majority parliament, and is fervently seeking to tip the balance in its favour and gain control of the legislature to push through difficult bills such as the revised penal code, evidence bill, and income tax for people earning over Rf30,000.
Control of parliament would also give the MDP levers with which to address the challenges facing the judiciary and independent institutions in the country.
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And at what price do these levers come with? Shall we speculate?
- Alhan Fahmy has, with the help of several individuals, incorporated several fraudulent companies for the sole purpose of embezzling State funds.
- The Chaandhaneemaage clan and their businesses owe funds to the State and other businesses. The placement of the younger Shujau at the helm of the MoTC is a conflict of interest beyond imagining.
- Thasmeen et. al. owes enough funds to reinvigorate the national bank altogether.
- Ali Waheed is a puppet of the Chaandaneemaage clan and as he is a young career politician, he would require a large amount of finance and assets in order to secure his position.
Existing MPs and politicians within the MDP already require substantial concessions from the government as payback for their loyalty. Additional strains on the State budget and public confidence in the political process will only serve to destabilize our country further. Congratulations President Nasheed, for being the most reactionary, nearsighted and self-centered individual this country has ever seen.
No reason Ali Waheed to join MDP while Anni is doing nothing right.. He's violation the constitution, prices of commodities are highly increasing, he couldnt deliver his promises.. lost the parliamentary election, lost the local government election... people r living in pain.. its a move of money, hunger for money.. So cheap.. chee chee
Good good.
Visit www.mpsale.gov.mv for bidding.
These young politicians are dumped with money that they have never dreamt of. GMR, the money machine of MDP, is really sabotaging this country and we all should standup against the satanic GMR before it destroys our country. GMR is bribing our citizens with our own money ("Venmas Venakaandhenee").I now call MDP as " Maldivian Dracula Party". We all should standup against this Dracula's effort to monopolise the political system. MDP has more blood in their hand than Gayoom and is driving this country to the most coruupted nation in the world.
@mkh
Thanks a lot, you made me laugh.
Butterfly politics in Maldives, just like the rest of the world. No politician cares for their people, its all based on self interests and greed.
@mkh. Don't panic. MDP can only get the majority of parliament in their dreams. When we start playing dirty, first of all will take care of this GMR, after that will take care of Maldives Dog Party .
@mahid
"No reason Ali Waheed to join MDP while Anni is doing nothing right.. He’s violation the constitution,..."
Sick and tired of hearing this same thing over and over again like a broken record. I don't like a lot of what the President does as well, but I don't claim he's violating the Constitution etc, since I don't have that evidence.
Can you provide evidence for your arguments? Also, if he's violating the Constitution, then it will only take a few precious minutes of our Parliamentarians time to impeach him! There's no way President Nasheed can "violate" the Consitution and survive a single day in office with a Parliament that's opposition led.
The sheer amount of non-sense coming of people is a sign of the state of the country.
ali waheed now has secured future with a visionary party who actually had a good manifesto and for young politicians like ali and alhan, i must say they have seen the true democratic internal party politics as well.
Your guys are mad ?
@Ahmed Bin Addu Bin Suvadheeb....This is a surprise..so when is comes to President you need hard evidence...What about that dirty filthy spew about 30 years and Maumoon that you so much like to write about, that doesn't seem to require and any evidence.....Just admit is you are a yellow little pixie....We are sick and tired of you saying "I don’t like a lot of what the President does as well but"....put a lid on it, We all know that you are as yellow as it gets...We cant blame you with all this yellow government is doing to your home Islands of Suvadheeb.
Ali Waheed, Don't be a Hypocrite...You called so many nasty things at President Nasheed and now you are going to defend him.....and the while he will spoon feed you ..Sickening, literally..
Ali Waheed for Sale! Sale sale... Bodu Sale!!! Ali Waheed SOLD!
Dear Prsident,
Please don't allow this teddy bear Ali Waheed to hug you like he did to our beloved Zaeem, and see what has happen to that not poor healthy man.
A very concerned citizen
I won't waste a lot of my time praising Ali Waheed but I cautiously welcome him. What we really need is more statesman like people to be at the forefront of the politics and he is probably at the furthest from that end...
@ Ahmed bin
How about locking Supreme court
how about keeping the ministers in his cabinet when they weren't approved by parliament
how about MBC law
how about him rejecting to ratify Finance law when it was passed by 39 MP's for the second time...
how about yameen's arrest
I guess u need to read the constitution well. Hope u'll get the same we Maldivians have
@Nars-
Hahahaaaaa LMAO!!!!
You are talking of hypocrisy, this is too much!!!
When Yameen and his brother the Pharoah stole millions, you demanded "evidence". It wasn't enough that their opulent lifestyle could not be possible just by government salaries.
Although there is no "evidence", I am not as naive/gullible/stupid as you are to actually believe Ali Waheed suddenly saw the light of day. However one factor which pushed him had to be the Pharoah Zaeem. When he put his honorific before the party name and called it "real"- that was when DRP MPs with even one real functioning neuron realized that the Zaeem has truly lost touch with reality.
Now Ali Waheed after watching his ex-best friend Alhaan Fahmy, whose cringe inducing diatribes against the President and MDP continues to live on thanks to DhiTv; join the MDP, campaign for VP, win against the Presidents' favourite.
Can you blame Ali Waheed? He must have been dying with envy, why hang on Yameen's or Dhunya's coattail when he can be his own man?
As for you Nars, put on your lifejacket, pack your indigestion pills-with a demented Captain and a stupid sycophantic brainwashed crew, the DRP ship is sinking!
Definitely for money!
Other then that, we're not seen why Ali waheed has to leave the biggest party. seriously I am shocked.
i thought he would stay with the party until the last. but too bad too bad for him.
your political carrier is over. people will not except you as a strong political leader anymore. COME ON MAN THINK NO METTER HOW MUCH THEY'RE GOING TO PAY. THEY HAVE ONLY TWO & HALH A YEAR REMAIN. WHY did you make stupid decision. you would regret this one day.
@ ABAS
"I don’t like a lot of what the President does as well, but I don’t claim he’s violating the Constitution etc, since I don’t have that evidence."
Then you must be half asleep.
Truth hurts.
So it may be better to be half asleep (at least for some people).
If Ali Waheed was bribed, it will not take too long for him to get busted. In a few days time, a recording of a phone call may surface, a bank statement may surface and anything else also can surface. If Ali Waheed is switching parties for money, he is taking a huge, huge, huge risk.
What Ali Waheed and anyone else should remember is, regardless of what anyone say, truth cannot be changed. It will always be there. So if someone decides to expose the truth it will not be impossible. It can be done. And if this someone is from the inner circle, this can be done effortlessly.
I am not saying anyone is a crminal. But no criminal should think he can escape with the crime forever. That such secrets can be kept forever.
I did not expect Ali Waheed to join MDP. If he is to join any other party, I would not have been half as surprised. Hearing all the noise about Ali Waheed's transfer I can only say I think he is still utterly naive.
People take this way too seriously.
These are professional politicians. There's no love here - not for the country or the any party.
You take the best offer and smoke a few cigars.
money money money money money money ......... hehe
eagerly waiting for the signing ceremony, let see what the big man has to say, laughing stock at ceremony by making a fool out of himself or slapping the face of DRP, either way i am getting pop corn for tonight's show
@peasant:
You are right. There was never space for multiparty politics in this country.
The Kerafaa Clan came to power on a platform of multiparty elections in order to secure a relatively peaceful regime change.
However, the actions of the ruling party and their confrontational attitude might create enemies in the near or mid-term. These enemies if allowed to gather strength, will once again oust the new monarchs from power.
Ali Waheed, Alhan Fahmy, Imad Solih, 'Eagles' Shareef - these are mere pawns. Discussing their motives and their philosophies are really of no use. However, their actions display how the puppetmasters are moving behind the scenes. One party rule may yet be possible if the MDP play their cards right.
However, I personally am biased towards a right of center approach with regards to the economy and a technocratic decision-making process. The MDP's populist socialist agenda is therefore not of my liking. Whooops!!!....do we still have the freedom to say that??? Thank god for anonymity 😀
I agree with Robin..But then again Ali Waheed is very young..he thinks hes a big man..but hes still very naive and unfortunately in this case hes being used by MDP the same way he was used by Thasmeen..Hes just too young to realize it.
tsk tsk on Fri, 20th May 2011 7:48 PM
My comment was at Nars who has in many comments demanded proof about misdeeds of the previous regime.
Like you I would also like technocrats to be in charge, a meritocracy if you will, who wouldn't? However, you would agree that realpolitik dictates that firebrands lead in the forefront today, or we will never ever achieve the dream of long term responsible government. I am truly glad there are differing views (like yours) which doesn't go something like-" yellow, bad, dictator, down"
In a less confrontational statement President Nasheed recently chided Reeko publicly (albeit indirectly), that President Maumoon was the opposition and jailing him without trial and due diligence would not be supported by this govt. In reply Nihan said for sure President Nasheed had ulterior motives and the Presidents' statement meant that he would harm President Maumoon in some way. Talk about a confrontational attitude.
@ mkh hahahahahahahahah......ROFL
Ali Waheed is a cheap person..DRP was cheap when he was a screaming DRP slave...Now MDP will stoop lower than before after bringing in the cheapest lowlife politician Ali Waheed...Party of cheap members!Greedy blood suckers!!! Drinking up the little blood that was left in the poor people after Blood sucker Maumoon had sucked up his share..The old man is sitting smugly ,enjoying a luxurious life after the money made from the blood of the Maldivians,the young blood sucker has another 28 years left..May they all burn in hell forever..Ameen!