The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has accused The Democrats of “hijacking MDP’s meeting hall” and warned of action over “damage to the party’s property.
The Democrats on Monday set up camp and launched a membership drive at MDP’s meeting hall in front of the artificial beach in Male'.
The Democrats opened its own meeting hall at the premises after the owner issued an eviction notice to the MDP, but the ruling party has filed a lawsuit at the civil court to challenge the eviction.
The owner of the plot is former MDP activist Shafiyya Zubair. The order to vacate the main meeting hall came in late March amid worsening strife between rival factions of the MDP.
Speaking to reporters who were invited by The Democrats to the meeting hall opening ceremony, Shafiyya said she has leased the building to a businessperson with the authority to sublease it.
The Democrats rented the premises under a sublease agreement with the businessperson, the party has confirmed.
"Another party coming here is not something that concerns us. We leased this place to a businessperson. It would be best to clarify from The Democrats whether they rented on a sublease," Shafiyya said.
It is understood that the meeting hall was leased to former managing director of STO Hussein Amr (left) who is a leading figure in the efforts to form The Democrats. -- Photo: Abdulla Iyan/ Adhadhu
In a statement, MDP said that despite the expiration of the lease agreement for the meeting hall, the owner assured the party that they could remain until the end of the upcoming presidential election. But no agreements were signed.
“Since the owner has violated the agreement we went to the civil court to protect our rights. We condemn the group that hijacked the meeting hall and damaged the party’s property while the issue is ongoing at the court.”
MDP said they asked the court to let the party use the meeting hall until July while they work towards finding a new meeting hall.
The party also warned that they would complain to relevant authorities over the “damage to property.”
Since former president Mohamed Nasheed lost the MDP's primary on January 28, his supporters acted as a separate faction under the name of 'Fikurrege Dhirun.' The eviction notice also came after the primary.
Nasheed's supporters decided to leave the MDP and form a new party after MP Ali Azim was expelled by the MDP's disciplinary committee.
Together with Azim, 13 MPs who support Nasheed have resigned from the MDP. But Nasheed remains in the MDP. It is unclear why Nasheed, who is also the speaker of parliament, is staying in the MDP.
The Democrats, which is formed under Nasheed's instruction, has also announced that it would field a candidate in this year's presidential election.
