Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom decided to form a new party because “particular individuals” were not elected to leadership posts at the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Congress in March 2010, and “because they failed to gain control of the party”, DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali told press today.
Flanked by DRP council members and leaders of coalition partner Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) at a press conference this afternoon, Thasmeen denied the former President’s claim that he was forced to quit the DRP because of a lack of internal democracy and inadequate efforts to hold the government accountable.
The breakaway Z-faction opted to form a new party after “they failed to influence the different organs of DRP,” Thasmeen said, accusing the ‘Zaeem faction’ of undermining the DRP leadership with “baseless allegations.”
“They have not provided any reason for the Maldivian people to believe the allegations made over the past year or so,” he said. “I have definitely never voted against the DRP whip since the party was formed. I have never failed to attend a vote in Majlis for any reason. And I have never failed to say what I must when the current government does something that is detrimental to the people.”
After months of factional strife and a litany of grievances aired in the media, Gayoom withdrew his endorsement of Thasmeen in March this year, accusing his successor of “acting dictatorially” and violating the party’s charter in the controversial dismissal of Deputy Leader Umar Naseer.
On allegations made by Umar Naseer that Thasmeen accepted a US$1 million bribe from Indian infrastructure giant GMR – which took over management of the Male’ International Airport under a concessional agreement last year – the DRP leader noted that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had “investigated thoroughly” and cleared both Thasmeen and Speaker Abdulla Shahid of any wrong-doing.
Thasmeen argued that there was “no reason to accept” the Progressive Party’s claim of “being an exemplary democratic party” as the Z-faction had disregarded the DRP’s charter, openly refused to accept decisions by the party’s organs and “worked in a way detrimental to the party that was worse than our political enemies.”
The minority leader of parliament also noted that the Z-faction had been functioning independently “as a separate party with a separate council, with a separate parliamentary group lately.”
“There’s no reason to believe they can do something they failed to do over the past year with just the name of a political party,” he said, adding that the Z-faction MPs had not informed the public about the shortcomings of the government’s proposed economic reforms.
Thasmeen insisted that “a substantial number of members” would not leave DRP for the Progressive Party: “We are calling the party’s leadership in the islands, the party’s councillors and heads of island branches,” he said. “Based on information we are getting, we are certain that a substantial number of people from DRP will not go to this new party.”
Local daily Haveeru reported today that 500 members have so far applied to leave the party. Thasmeen however expressed confidence that the DRP would remain the largest opposition party.
The DRP leader revealed that the party would conduct internal elections “in the next three months” for DRP island branches or chapters. The elections were last held in 2006.
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I feel sorry for golha and his hopes..
Let’s see how well Chasneem can organize the DRP as he has now free hands. But I have my doubts may be Shahid should take the leadership of DRP.
A new beginning for DRP. Well done Thasmeen. I salute you.
All this shows what Gayoom is like. He does not know about multi-party democracy. He should have retired gracefully and left it to the younger man, Thasmeen, to run the party. In an earlier time, Gayoom would have arrested and imprisoned Thasmeen. Now he cannot do that. So he has done what he did. It is absolutely disgraceful. It is a mean thing to do. Now Thasmeen must rise to the occasion, and seize the opportunity. The old man does not have a divine right to continue to rule the Maldives. It may be that Thasmeen has more in common with Nasheed than Gayoom. Nasheed and Thasmeen are of the same generation.
Why do I feel that it is actually Thasneem who is deep inside scared and crying since Qayyoom has abandoned him.
The process will continue in circles among both those parties DRP n PPM until such time a party sincerely pledges on an honorable cause for the people of the Maldives to pursue
Neither Thasmeen or Yameen have a chance for Presidency and Maumoon knows it like any Maldivain.
The whole PPM thing is about cleaning up Maumoons image in time for the next election. And Thasmeen and Yameen are perfect scape goats for Maumoons bad legacy that would be culled in public.
Except a lot of dirt to come out when Thasmeen and Yameen goes head to head. In the end the public would have had too much and there would be only ONE opposition leader left with SOME credibility. That would be Maumoon.
Whatever is said about the new party or the DRP, fact of the matter is that Thasmeen has a very solid team behind him. I am sure Maumoon will not have many educated people in his team.
Firstly because not many of them are stupid enough to join Maumoon.
Secondly because even if a few educated people do join, Maumoon is not going to have anyone capable among them anywhere close to the leadership. His experience with DRP will be too bitter.
I am not a member of any party but I think Thasmeen is showing that his leadership is steadfast. He has not wavered to all the pressure of the madness previously called Z-DRP. I like him for that.
I would have liked seen Thasmaan expel those members for totally unacceptable behaviour rather than give them the dignity of leaving on their own terms. Thasmeen has not shown him to be the strong man he needs to be to lead the party to victory. I do agree though that PPM members failed to achieve their objectives and therefore even weaker than Thasmeen...
Chasbe
You are diverting the whole scenario. Do you for one moment think, if you had the expected leadership, it would have reached this stage?
Neither of you groups have the growl to take on MDP now. With all the blunders and corrupt cronies in the government, if you even had a few teeth, and grow a set of cohones, you should be able to bring down this regime.
You are nothing!!! YOu can do nothing, you cannot even gain support. What you see in your team are those who hate Maumoon and who hate MDP. it is not because you have the flair and charisma, and trust of the people. And believe me these will be required.
Gayyom, Yaameen nor Tasmeen will ever win a Presidential election. it is time for the educated at DRP to defect to MDP. They are going to run this show for a long time to come. Gayoom has destroyed Maldives and we should not allow him, his family and cronies to ruin it any more.
This is a new beginning. DRP now have the opportunity to work aa a proper political party. If they manage to hold on to their members we would finally have laid the foundations for a multi-party democracy. For the sake of this country I hope Gayyoom gets what he deserves, political irrelevance.
This is a new beginning. PPM now have (has?) the opportunity to work as a proper political opposition. If they manage to hold on to their members we would finally have laid the foundations for a multi-party democracy. For the sake of this country I hope Nasheed gets what he deserves, political irrelevance.