PPM’s SG Tholal leaves party

Mohamed Tholal, who had been serving as the secretary general of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), has left the party.

This comes after PPM senators Mohamed Maleeh Jamal and Abbas Adil Riza headed an unannounced press conference at the PPM headquarters on Tuesday night, during which he announced that Yameen had appointed a 13-member steering committee to take charge of the party’s operations.

At the press conference, Adil said that Tholal was no longer involved in the party’s day-to-day operations.

 “As you know, Heena [Waleed] has resigned as spokesperson and the secretary general has recused himself from involvement in day-to-day operations,” he said.

Heena denied she had tendered her resignation, while Tholal responded on the PPM media group that he had continued to fulfil his duties as SG up until he left the party.

“They claimed at the presser that I recused myself from the day-to-day running of the party. This is a lie. I continued to fulfil my obligations in the day-to-day running of the party up until I left the party,” he said.

Tholal was appointed as the Sports Commissioner on Tuesday – a position that does not allow for involvement in the management of a political party.

PPM’s registrar Hamdhan Naseer said that Tholal therefore left the party.

“He personally requested with the EC [Elections Commission] and left the party yesterday because he was getting appointed to a post that does not allow for him to remain at the party,” he said.

The developments on Tuesday have fueled rumors of differences between Yameen and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu – who was elected the leader of People’s National Congress (PNC), PPM’s coalition partner, following his presidential election victory in September.

The PPM leadership has yet to make an official statement to the press, while Maleeh has been suspended as the party’s ethics committee investigates him for attempting to create divisions within the party.