Fayyaz Ismail, Chairman of the main-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has emphasized that appropriate action will be taken against party members when necessary, irrespective of their standing within the party.
On Wednesday, 13 MDP MPs exited the party, marking the culmination of internal conflicts between the party's two factions.
Addressing their departure during a press conference on Wednesday, Fayyaz highlighted that the members had violated party charters for several weeks leading up to their resignation. The party had refrained from taking action in an attempt to resolve the conflict internally. However, the final course of action became inevitable when they participated in motions of no-confidence against the Cabinet.
"We will take action if they call for a coup. When they attempt to disrupt our Cabinet and overthrow the government, we have no other choice," stated Fayyaz.
During the press conference, Fayyaz expressed concerns regarding the conduct of MDP President and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed. He criticized Nasheed's current objective of luring party members while remaining within the MDP, deeming it disappointing. Fayyaz emphasized the party's commitment to upholding its ideologies, emphasizing that action would be taken against anyone, regardless of their seniority within the party, when necessary.
Following his significant defeat in the MDP presidential primary against President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nasheed launched a separate political movement within the party under his primary campaign slogan, Fikuregge Dhirun. He has refused to back President Solih in the upcoming election and has been meeting with opposition parties regarding the election.
While twelve MPs associated with Fikuregge Dhirun announced their departure from the MDP to form a new political party, they have confirmed their intention to participate in the upcoming election.
