JP grants leader Qasim power to form coalitions

The council of Jumhoory Party (JP) on Monday approved granting the power to form coalitions for the upcoming presidential election to party leader Qasim Ibrahim. 

The decision was made during JP’s first council meeting at Kunooz, since its congress held in late February.

During the meeting, a resolution was put forth by council member Mohamed Nazil. The resolution called to grant powers relating to forming coalitions and political discussions pertaining to the presidential election to party leader Qasim.

The resolution passed with all members present voting in favor.

So far, neither Qasim, nor has JP make an official announcement on contesting the election.

JP, which is part of the coalition which brought President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to power in 2018, has not accepted his invitation to support his re-election.

JP’s leader Qasim Ibrahim had met with President Solih last week. However, he declined to disclose any information regarding the meeting.

In a recent Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rally in Th. Hirilandhoo, President Solih said he would face the election with a coalition, and that he was confident of a positive outcome from the invitations sent to JP and Maldives Reform Movement (MRM) – another coalition partner which has yet to make a decision regarding the upcoming election.

Amid the division within MDP, there have been rumors that MDP’s leader, Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed’s faction has also approached Qasim for a coalition. However, this has not been confirmed through official sources.