No Hindrance to Jumhooree Party Due to Riyaz, Nazim's New Political Party: JP

Vice President of Jumhooree Party Ahmed Saud has declared that Jumhooree Party will not face any adverse effects from the new political party being formed by former JP members Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Nazim, and Abdulla Riyaz.

During a program on SanguTV, Saud claimed that Riyaz and Nazim worked in secret to establish a new party while still in Jumhooree Party. He added that it is likely that other JP members will join the new party once presented with the opportunity.

However, former Commissioner of Police Abdullah Riyaz and former Minister of Defense Colonel (Rtd) Nazim will not be taking a significant amount of JP members, said Saud. He further stated it is unlikely for them to convince the almost 70 members on the JP council to join the new party, and that the absence of five or so members would not be a hindrance to Jumhooree Party.

Saud also claimed he does not believe that the number of Jumhooree Party members of Colonel Nazim's constituency, Dhangethi constituency, would change much. VP Saud claimed that Jumhooree Party has maintained steady numbers since 2008 and that if members of Dhangethi constituency joined Nazim's party, they would be brought back to Jumhooree Party.

Despite Saud's statements, a reliable source has confirmed to Dhiyares that a number of JP-affiliated members of parliament will be joining Nazim and Riyaz's new party.