Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has said he is not interested in becoming President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's running mate for the presidential election.
President Solih is the only candidate who has been campaigning in earnest with 52 days left for the election. While he has yet to decide on a running mate, it has emerged that some close associates have expressed interest.
Commenting on Twitter about an Adhadhu report on potential running mates, Fayyaz, who also serves as economic development minister in the cabinet, said he has "no interest" in the post.
"For whatever reason, it is Reeko Moosa who has been talking about [Fayyaz being interested], that is very regrettable," Fayyaz said on Tuesday.
'Reeko' Moosa Manik is a close ally of President Solih. A former three-term MP, Reeko Moosa began his political career in the MDP and returned to the party in November 2022. He campaigned in the front ranks for President Solih in the MDP primary in January.
In a tweet responding to Fayyaz, Moosa said that the MDP chairperson should not get personal with party members and be able to coexist with all members.
"Targeting me in a public space because of a journalist's article is not something he should do either. Don't spread blatant lies," he wrote.
While the Maldives economy is currently among the fastest growing in the world, the country also faced tough economic times under Fayyaz's watch. It was Fayyaz that the president trusted the most and assigned the hardest duties to manage covid.
The election of Fayyaz as MDP's chairperson saw the president gain power over the party. The president's faction won control of the MDP's national council and congress due to efforts led by Fayyaz.
He is the most influential cabinet minister and enjoys the confidence of MPs, national council members and bosses of government companies. For this reason, some people believe that Fayyaz could become President Solih's running mate this year.
Other potential candidates for running mate include Vice President Faisal Naseem, Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and MDP parliamentary group leader Mohamed Aslam.
