A top government lawmaker Monday spurned an opposition led move to oust the parliament speaker and the parliament representative to the judicial watchdog, insisting the opposition cannot muster the required votes to push a no confidence motion against the duo.
The increasingly politically isolated government is set to face the biggest test of its 'super majority' in parliament after a widening rift in the ruling party as the opposition filed separate no confidence motions against speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed and MP Ibrahim Riza who represents the parliament in the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) deputy leader and Fonadhoo lawmaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla told Avas on Monday that the government control in parliament remained strong.
"They are trying to do everything they can to weaken the government and orchestrate an overthrow. They don't care about the people. They just want to team up with the opposition and overthrow a legitimate government," Raheem stressed in clear reference to the opposing ruling party faction led by ousted PPM leader and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Gayoom on Thursday withdrew support for half brother and incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and has intensified his push to rally support against the government.
The elder Gayoom already backed by several government lawmakers secured the support of the once government aligned Jumhoory Party (JP) on Sunday.
Gayoom locked in a bitter power struggle with half brother president Yameen 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.
According to the parliament rules of procedure, a no confidence motion against the speaker can only be filed with the signatures of at least 15 lawmakers stating reasonable grounds for removal and would go for a vote after a debate on the parliament floor.
A simple majority of lawmakers present during a respective sitting is sufficient to pass the no confidence motion.
JP's support has meant a major boost for Gayoom after the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had also pledged support for the elder Gayoom.
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.
