Malé, Maldives – Maldivian Democratic Party’s president Mohammed Nasheed has said that he will not leave the party even though there are currently major differences of opinion within the party.
After admitting defeat today after failing to win the presidential ticket in Saturday’s primary, addressing the participants during a luncheon with campaign teams at Dhonmanik Sky View Restaurant, Nasheed said he had no intention of leaving the MDP.
However, Nasheed now wants to form a separate branch in the MDP under the name of “revival of an ideology” which he used as his campaign slogan.
“The MDP is the only political party I know. And I don’t think it will be abolished,” he said. “It’s not a party that will lose. It’s a strong party.“
Nasheed said he would never leave the MDP.
“I think we can be organized within the party. The party’s rules of procedure will also give space,” Nasheed said. “And the party’s spirit and its views will also allow for this.”
Rumours have it that Nasheed is likely to contest the presidential election on his own if he does not see the change he wants in the MDP.
According to the provisional results, Nasheed received 15,641 votes. That’s 38.90 percent of the vote. President Solih received 24,566 votes. That’s 61.10 percent of the vote. 57,255 people were eligible to vote in the primary while 40,887 people cast their ballots, which is 71 percent of the eligible voters.
This year’s presidential election will be held on September 9.
The MDP is now preparing to officially hand over the presidential ticket to the winner of the primary, President Solih next month.
