Self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed for the first time admitted that dismantling the then coalition paved the way for the premature downfall of his government in 2012.
Speaking during a rally held by the now united opposition on Monday to mark nine years since Maldives adopted the present constitution, said the Commonwealth led national inquiry commission's verdict on the transfer of power proved that a government would end if the coalition that brought it to office breaks-up.
Nasheed won the first democratic elections in the Maldives in 2008 after all political leaders in the archipelago backed him in the run-off against the then strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who had been in power for three decades.
However, the coalition was dismantled soon after and the political leaders united against Nasheed which ultimately led to his premature downfall in 2012. But Nasheed had continued to claim he was ousted in a coup orchestrated by the his deputy and eventual successor Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik. However, the Commonwealth led inquiry commission had quashed the claims ruling that Nasheed's resignation had not been forced.
"Under the constitution if the president gets rid of his rivals in an attempt to grab all the powers of the state, the government would fall. That's a fact that has become evident in the Maldives. This is fact that has become clear especially for me," Nasheed said.
Nasheed said incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom who won the presidency in 2013 through a coalition had lost its legitimacy after the majority of the coalition partners joined the opposition.
Maldives has been ravaged by fresh political strife after all opposition leaders including former presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom penned a historic treaty to work against the government.
In recent weeks, the opposition has scored major victories after wresting parliament majority from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) with help of government lawmakers loyal to the deposed PPM leader Gayoom and his lawmaker son Faris Maumoon.
The elder Gayoom had a major falling-out with half brother president Yameen which has seen the ruling party split into two factions.
