Embattled former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is set to lose out support from key ruling party figures, as some government lawmakers backtracked on their decision to back the former Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader.
Gayoom locked in a bitter power struggle with half brother and incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom for ruling party control has intensified efforts to rally key party figures to his faction. after a court order -- backed by the appellate courts had handed over PPM control to the younger Gayoom.
A day after three more government lawmakers pledged allegiance to Gayoom, a few MPs seemingly withdrew support.
Eight lawmakers, led by Gayoom's son Faaris Maumoon had held a press conference declaring the faction "Gayoom's parliamentary group."
However, Dhidhdhoo MP Abdul Latheef who among the eight lawmakers was later pictured with top members of president Yameen's faction, with PPM deputy leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla insisting that Latheef was with the president.
Losing support of the few government lawmakers would come as a major blow to the elder Gayoom, who has now publicly withdrawn his support for the government and his half brother.
The former president publicly announced his decision hours after the archipelago's top court rejected an appeal of the court order handing control of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) to president Yameen.
The half brothers have locked in a bitter power struggle ever since the elder Gayoom publicly urged lawmakers to vote down a government proposed amendment to the tourism Act.
Gayoom later suspended the internal committees of the party after one voted his son out of the party for breaking a whip-line.
Two government lawmakers then filed a civil lawsuit against the elder Gayoom claiming that the ruling party had been hijacked.
Gayoom lost the lawsuit after the Civil Court last week found him guilty of violating the constitution, party charter and the political party law.
The High Court had upheld the court order granting full control of PPM to president Yameen in the capacity of the chief advisor -- a default post offered to the party's successful presidential candidate under the party charter.
The Supreme Court however, rejected the appeal saying that there were no grounds to overturn the ruling.
The verdict came as Gayoom was preparing to hold a rally to mark the party's fifth anniversary at the PPM headquarters. However, police had blocked the rally after the Supreme Court verdict.
Gayoom then proceeded to hold a small gathering at a different venue, where he withdrew support for his half brother.
"I don't believe that this government now follows the principles and beliefs of this party. Since I'm the ruling party leader, I also have to take some blame for the wrongdoings of the government. So effective immediately, I'm withdrawing my support for the government," Gayoom announced.
The rift between the two brothers has split the party in two and the elder Gayoom has continued to rally key figures to his side.
President Yameen who until this point had maintained that the dispute could still be resolved through dialogue, has not responded to losing Gayoom's support which according to his opponents could be a major blow for his chances of re-election in 2018.
