Talks have stopped between the main opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the newly-formed Democrats led by Speaker Mohamed Nasheed.
Abdul Raheem Abdulla, president of the People's National Congress (PNC) and acting leader of the PPM-PNC coalition, confirmed to Adhadhu that the talks have ended.
"We are campaigning for the presidential election, they're campaigning. We want to give time for the campaign right now," Abdul Raheem said.
The Democrats were not available for comment.
It was Nasheed from The Democrats who first proposed fielding a common opposition candidate for the presidential election.
On July 19, he met with Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim and Maldives National Party (MNP) President Mohamed Nazim and the three agreed on fielding a common candidate if the PPM consents.
"We will talk to PPM and MRM [Maldives Reform Movement], to see if we can agree to this. Our three parties want to field a single candidate for this presidential election," said Qasim, MP for Maamigili.
But the PPM told the parties that its candidate was jailed former President Abdulla Yameen. The party proposed Yameen as the common candidate, PPM Secretary General Mohamed Tholal said in a message sent to the party's media Whatsapp group.
Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb, who is the sole contender in The Democrats' presidential primary, told Adhadhu's 'Etherefuh' program on July 23 that the party would not back the PPM in the September 9 presidential election.
MNP presidential candidate Mohamed Nazim said on the 'Etherefuh' program on Tuesday night that he did not believe a coalition could be formed with the PPM.
