The Jumhooree Party's leadership has said it would accept any decision made by the party's leader, Qasim Ibrahim.
At a press conference held at JP headquarters in M. Kunooz on Tuesday, reporters were briefed on the upcoming JP Congress slated for February 24 and 25.
Speaking at the press conference, former Vilifushi MP Riyaz Rasheed said the party would follow Qasim to whichever party he decided to join and would support him if he decides to contest any election.
"We will be with Qasim, whatever he decides to do. If he decides tomorrow that he will join forces with another party, or move forward on his own, or with the party, we will be with him," he said.
Riyaz, who is also one of Qasim's advisors, said there would be attempts to create doubt about him from within the party and outside. However, he would remain with Qasim, and the party's leader is aware of that, he said.
Former Kelaa MP and JP's Secretary General, Ali Arif, said that if Qasim Ibrahim decides to join the opposing PPM and go forward from there, he will work with PPM. Even if Qasim decides to join MDP, he will work with MDP, he said.
"In February last year, we worked to win the Komandoo constituency seat for MDP," Arif said.
Arif further said Qasim has done everything he had to do for the sake of the people and will continue to do so in the future.
While all JP leadership members presenting Tuesday's press conference had previously been loyal senior members of the PPM, journalists asked whether their allegiance to Qasim was sincere. Assuring the journos that they would remain loyal to Qasim, they asked the journalists not to doubt them.
The JP Congress is scheduled to be held on the 24th of this month. The congress will decide how the party will move forward regarding the September Presidential Election, Ali Arif said. The decision on how to proceed in this year's presidential election will be based on the decision of the 168 council members attending the JP congress, he added.
More than 900 representatives will be attending the JP congress.
