Former President and co-founder of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has rejoined the main opposition and guaranteed that the party would steer the country towards the right path.
He left the MDP on June 21, 2023, amid a split within the former ruling party and joined the Democrats. In his speech after returning to the MDP, Nasheed said there was no party like the MDP in the entire continent of Asia.
"The MDP is not just a boat fit for all seas. There is no other party in Asia that can change a country and bring happiness to the people like the MDP," Nasheed said.
He thanked the party Chairperson and Congress members for welcoming him.
"I have been away from the party for two years. However, tonight, I am extremely happy. Because I am back home. You will know that I live in Africa. That feeling of returning home, I will never forget. Thank you very much to everyone," he said.
Nasheed said the only purpose of working in politics is to improve people's lives.
"The people of the Maldives will fully return that trust to the Democratic Party. Political work is a noble cause. As a political leader, we are engaged in political work for only one purpose: to ensure that we do something good for the people of the Maldives. We are hoping to improve the lives of the people."
He said the biggest challenge facing the country is debt.
"The biggest challenge facing the people of the Maldives is debt. The debt of the state. The debt of the government... The state debt is now 120 percent of our productivity," Nasheed said.
He highlighted that the current government does not have the capability to pay off debts.
"Today, the biggest challenge for the people of the Maldives is debt. We have to repay USD 1.2 billion next year. Do we have that money? If so, we need to know. When we last checked, the gross reserves stood at USD 813 million. That includes a USD 400 million currency swap with the Indian government. So in reality, the bank is empty."
But the MDP knows how to pay off the debt and change the situation, he added.
"The Maldivian Democratic Party will always ensure the security of the people. We know how to restructure the debt. We know how to pay it back. We know what we need to do next to pay it back and improve your general situation," he said.
Nasheed also predicted that the government would face major losses in next year's local council elections.
“President Muizzu, I will tell you tonight, note down these figures, you will get 20 percent,” he declared.
