Self-exiled opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim on Tuesday dismissed increasing doubts over the united opposition's ability to field a single candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
The main opposition leaders including former presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and former president Mohamed Nasheed along with Gasim and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla inked pact to form what they called a 'reform alliance'.
With the candidacy of the four leaders - all convicted and serving sentences on questionable charges in serious doubt, the united opposition had announced plans to nominate a single candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
However, the talks had stalled before Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) announced its presidential primary. Nasheed's decision to contest the primary had raised serious question marks over the coalition amid rumours of a deepening rift between key opposition officials.
The business tycoon Gasim however, took to Twitter to allay any fears over a single candidate insisting that the opposition would succeed in nominating a single candidate for the crunch elections.
"... and we will win the elections in the first round," he added.
