Former home minister and presidential hopeful Umar Naseer Thursday announced that he was leaving to Britain to meet with self exiled former vice president Mohamed Jameel Ahmed for sit-down over the presidential elections in 2018.
Umar Naseer, immediately after stepping down last July had announced his intention to run against his former boss and incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
The outspoken politician had been vying for the ruling party ticket before the falling out between then Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and half brother president Yameen had split the party in two.
After the civil court last year handed party control to president Yameen, Umar had taken the corner of the elder Gayoom.
Jameel who had been granted political refugee status by Britain fled to the UK last July, days before he was impeached in a controversial vote which was alleged to have been orchestrated by his eventual successor Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor who himself was impeached following a blast aboard the presidential speedboat.
The former VP has since been heading the opposition alliance Maldives United Opposition (MUO) from Britain.
Umar in a message said he was travelling to the UK to meet with Jameel and his team for "crucial political talks."
"I'm leaving on Sunday for talks with Dr Jameel and his team over the next presidential elections," Umar's message read.
