Qasim secures JP’s presidential ticket

JP's leader Qasim Ibrahim. (Sun Photo/Fayaz Moosa)

Jumhoory Party (JP)’s leader Qasim Ibrahim secured his party’s presidential ticket on Thursday, after running for the ticket uncontested.

JP opened candidacy for its presidential primary on March 16. According to JP, only Qasim, who represents the Maamigili constituency at the Parliament, applied by the deadline at 12:00 Thursday.

Therefore, according to JP’s constitution, Qasim has won the party’s presidential ticket by default.

Qasim had also been the party’s presidential candidate in 2008 and 2013. He won 15 percent of votes in 2008, and 24 percent of votes in 2013 – not enough to qualify for a second round.

However, a now-overturned conviction rendered him ineligible for the 2018 election. JP joined a coalition with Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which went on to win the election.

However, JP rejected President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s invitation to back his re-election and decided to contest the election independently.

JP leader Qasim Ibrahim (R) converses with MDP leader, Speaker of Parliament, President Mohamed Nasheed (L). (File Photo/Sun/Ahmed Awshan Ilyas)

Meanwhile, MDP’s leader Mohamed Nasheed, who himself refuses to back President Solih, has unofficially expressed support for Qasim. Parliamentarians aligned with Nasheed have begun negotiations for a coalition agreement with JP.