Minister of Education Dr Mustafa Luthfy and Deputy Trade Minister Ahmed Inaz yesterday left the Gaumy Ihthihaadh Party (GIP) to join the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
Last week the MDP National Council announced it was tearing up its coalition agreement with GIP, and requested President Mohamed Nasheed remove all GIP ministers from public office. Economic Minister Mohamed Rasheed was sacked several weeks ago amid ongoing tension between the two parties.
Dr Luthfy, who was deputy leader of GIP, said he joined MDP not because he had been influenced or under threat of losing his job, but because he felt that it was “the best way to continue serving the people.”
”I discussed it with GIP Leader Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik before taking the decision,” Dr Luthfy said. ”He said it was sad, but said to do as I wished.”
Dr Luthfy said he did not condone criticising the government while he was a member of it.
”I do not know whether GIP might join the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP),” Dr Luthfy said, ”but I noticed that during a recent GIP rally held at Giyasudeen School, a lot of DRP members attended.”
He said that there was no split between the government and GIP, and that the tensions were rather between the two parties.
”The President told me I could stay in the position as an a individual,” he said, ”but I preferred to join MDP of my own wish.”
He said that MDP had invited him to join the party on several different occasions.
Vice President of the Maldives Dr Waheed Hassan Manik, who is also a key figure in GIP, said the decision by Luthfy and Inaz was their own and he had nothing to say.
He said their decision would not affect GIP and that he was not sad about it.
”[Luthfy and Inaz] discussed it with me,” he said. ”I told them to do as they wished.”
MDP Spokesperson Ahmed Haleem said both the Education Minister and Deputy Trade Minister had been serving the party unofficially long ago, in different ways.
”Now have they returned to where they belong,” Haleem said. ”It will be a progress for them.”
He claimed that GIP was now “close to joining DRP”.
”In my political experience I can say that it is very likely to happen,” he suggested.
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I urge MDP to kick out Dr.Luthufee..he might have jumped ship but because he has no other options..i don't think he believes in what hes doing....I say Hypocrites like Dr.Luthufee should be removed from all political posts..stupid, uselsss, spineless, ugly people like Dr.Luthufee would be President Nasheed's downfall.....
Luthfy's decision is so obviouse, he doesnt want have another bitter experience of sacking.
We are seeing all the right eliments of another dictatorship.
Ahmed Haleem, Really!?
GIP has no intentions right now of joining with DRP. It seems as though you almost wish the party to completely turn against MDP when they have done nothing of the sort.
As for your claims that Mustafa and Inaz have been working for you unofficially, that's complete lunacy. Of course its a shame that these two gentlemen felt that they had to join MDP in order to secure their jobs, but they were both loyal and dedicated members of GIP even when they defended the government at the last rally.
Dr. Mustafa Luthfi is one of the key members (now former member) of GIP who walked door to door getting members. He would often spend half an hour to an hour talking with families about the virtues of the party and the need for their participation. For you to claim he was secretly your MDP agent is beyond preposterous.
Haleem, stop trying to push GIP towards DRP. Do you even realize how much legitimacy the government will lose on the international stage?! Do you realize that no amount of international press statements or interviews will ever fix the damage to our government's image - should democracy actually fail as a result of your petty political maneuverings?!
Don't quote "political experience" pretending to be all prophetic when comments like those are aimed at pushing GIP further and further away. (not that the decision my MDP hasn't done quite enough)
Salim, Why do you have to respond to this MES grade 5 dropout Ahmed Haleem? He is only doing what his intelligence would allow him to do. President Nasheed and MDP thinks they need people like Ahmed Haleem and not highly experienced and educated people like Dr.W.
These two men have carried out a shameless act like dr. Shaheed. These are people who will go lower than scum to protect their own interest. Dr. Luthfy stop bullshiting us saying joining mdp is better way of serving the country. We all know what the truth is. And as far as Mr Haleem is concerned, what political experience are you talking about? People will laugh. Don't ridicule yourself infront of public.
Salim Waheed,
Dr.Mustafa Luthfy and Inaz joined MDP becoz your father was too stubborn and was extremely napotic! He gave many of the GIP political post to your mom's family and people who lived at your mom's place years back! And also asked any independent person on the street if Mohamed Rasheed the economic minister was of any use to the Maldivian government during the one and half years he served! (I know..you would say blah blah..he was so dedicated..experience..blah..blah!) But your father was surrounded by people like Mohamed Rasheed, Toppy, Sameeu (DRP-Ilyas Ibrahim agents) who was always chanting the anti MDP mantra everyday in lunch (which usually lasts 2 to 3 hours), evening teas and dinners. And in night time..your mom starts it too! I guess your family is jealous and furious that MDP got the power and your so called GIP (which as just a vehicle to climb to power) got only the margins!! Salim pls talk sense! You are such a baby! Grow up dear!
I think this is a political game played by MDP. I kind of predicted this will happen after the MDP national councils' decision.
But, I would not think President Nasheed will accept that decision, ever. He just cannot afford to do that no matter what as long as Waheed does not do something really stupid. And I trust Waheed will never do such a thing.
The saddest thing is, this whole political drama is creating a lot of negative image for MDP. I think MDP seriously needs some intelligent people to work in their front line -- people who can palpate the pulse of this nation.
Marginalising or firing or destroying the coalition partners cannot be a sure fire way of winning anything -- not the next election, not even the hearts and minds of the people. Especially because the government was put up in the first place as a coalition, no matter how bitter MDP finds this to be.
MDP cannot afford to ignore the fact that they did not win the election as a single party, even though this may be what has got into their brains ever since they won.
Maldivians wanted Gayyoom to be defeated. But, not many Maldivians wanted Nasheed to win -- this cannot be forgotten or ignored. Maldivians trusted the coalition, not Nasheed and not MDP.
So absorbing the poor souls in need of a position and probably also a job into their own party and making them their own at the cost of making the coalition even more fragile, is I would think a stupid move by MDP.
This is making the political posts of the government belong more and more to MDP and less and less to a coalition. This would not have been a problem had MDP won the elections. But because MDP did not win and because it is the coalition that won, this portrays MDP almost like a bully.
In my mind, MDP needs to drastically change their strategies and tactics if they are to save themselves from this downhill trend.
As for Waheed, I think he is gaining popularity by all this because people feel sympathetic to him, people feel he is victimized. This feeling is enhanced because Waheed's excellent credentials shine brighter than most of the MDP guys of the government or even the party.
At the end of the day MDP carried this GIP thing to stardom. GIP would have been completely erased by now if Anni picked another running mate. So People in high posts through GIP ought to feel obliged to servce country with MDP. It should be no surprise really.
Mustafa Lutfi, and Inaz are the latest to party hop to serve the people. This country is full of treacherous politicians itching to serve the people. Dr. Janaza Kudey was the one before these 2 guys. Among the parliamentarians Sameer, Carnal Nasheed and a lot of others were simple itching to 'serve the people'. These people itching to 'serve the people' are drowning this country before sealevel rise does any harm to us.
Anni likes people like Ahmed Haleem, Ziyattey around him as they are ass kissers. The statements coming out of Ahmed haleem as a drop out at grade5, is not surprising.
It is high time Anni removed thugs like Zaki, Afeef and Haleem from their positions and put people who are not corrupt and trust worthy of the people.
Anni also should remove Rico from parliament leader as he keep distancing all MDP partners from MDP. Most of the Rico dont know what he is talking about.
Next in line to join MDP in the parliament is Jangiya Nazim.
Haseen, very well said. Now that they have Redwave Saleem when Jangiya, Yameen and a few otehrs join MDP will be the least corrupt party and they r sure to work always for the benefit of the people. Anni can then resign and handover the party to the group Reeko & Co led by IH Zaki (one of the most honest pple ever)