The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has been saddened by internal challenges, but the party's victory was that the party was bigger than an individual, MDP's chairperson Fayyaz Ismail said on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion of MDP's 18th anniversary, Fayyaz said internal challenges are the biggest challenge it has faced so far.
"The suffering caused by internal challenges is the most difficult stage a political party can endure. Patiently holding the party's interests, putting the rules of democracy at the forefront of the MDP and enduring the grief with bitter truths," Fayyaz said in a video message broadcast on MDP's Facebook page.
One of the founders of MDP and its president Mohamed Nasheed recently left the party after a dispute with incumbent President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih. President Solih was appointed as the MDP's presidential candidate in 2018 because Nasheed's path to contest was legally closed as he had been serving a jail sentence.
Two years into the current administration, Nasheed told Solih that he wished to become the Prime Minister after changing the governance system into a parliamentary system.
But Solih disagreed, resulting in two rival factions within the MDP. Earlier this year, Solih and Nasheed contested in the MDP's presidential primary. Solih won the ticket to run for re-election and Nasheed formed a faction within the party.
Referring to the problems within the party, Fayyaz said it was an experience and the party was bigger than an individual.
"It was also a profound experience. The lesson learned from this experience opened a new door for future success. The MDP and this country are much bigger for the party members than any one individual. The inculcation of that philosophy in the MDP is a great achievement for the party," he said.
Fayyaz added that the people have started building their own lives away from the political turmoil during this presidential term and the biggest task of the MDP members is to secure a second term for the party candidate.
"Political turmoil, disputes and quarrels are not a lifelong burden. The feeling of moving forward with one's own life is prevalent throughout the country today."
