The death of MDP and the birth of Gayyoom’s Saviors!

Sad as it may sound, I have to say that MDP is a dead force in the current political situation. To use a metaphor, MDP was the hardworking donkey who brought us to the current junction of political freedom. It toiled and worked hard for us, but riders of this donkey (the party leaders) selfishly abused the party, which has taken MDP to the brink of irrelevance. I believe that Anni has to take the largest share of responsibility for, perhaps inadvertently, shattering the very foundations of the party. The incumbent president of the party, Dr. Munavvar, too has to take some share of this responsibility; but as said above, Anni has to take the largest share of responsibility.

MDP came into being to promote democracy and freedom of expression and equality and fairness. The first major election held under the auspices of the party was expected to be a beacon of transparency and democracy for us. Sadly though; it was rampant with nepotism, favoritism, strong handedness and shadiness. Anni used a pseudo-militia (aptly named: the party grassroots) to stretch the rules of the party; and in some cases even bend and abuse those rules, to gain an upper hand in the election.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a discontented supporter of Dr. Munavvar who suffered this loss at the hands of Anni, in the election. As I’ve mentioned in this blog, I didn’t even support Dr. Munvvar in the election. But it saddens me, and many neutrals like me, that Anni had the audacity to hijack and abuse the very party that he professed to die for. Anni perhaps calculated that his political cunningness could get him out of any consequences.

Has MDP shown Gayyoom how to conduct a free and fair election? Absolutely not! If anything, it was a carbon copy of what Gayyoom has been feeding down our throats for the past 30 odd years. Anni’s ways are frighteningly similar to the ways of Gayyoom. Like Gayyoom Anni too seems to favour nepotism. Like Gayyoom, Anni too seems to use some sort of pseudo-militia. Like Gayyoom, Anni too, doesn’t seem to have anything sacred which he wouldn’t trample, just to get his way. Democracy? Freedom? Fairness? No! Nothing is more sacred than winning. Winning at any cost! We should be wary of a leader who takes such a dangerous attitude.

Many reformists respected and trusted Anni. He has abused that trust and trampled it. Like Gayyoom, perhaps Anni too thinks that he knows what’s best for us and so he has the mandate to trample our most sacred things just to take us to the other side of the proverbial sea. Anni and Gayyoom and many other so-called leaders has shown that we are a nation abound with selfish and shortsighted leaders. No visionaries or true leaders of the people. Anni perhaps aspires to be the Che Guera or Mandela of Maldives but he should perhaps close his eyes and contemplate his actions over the past few years and judge himself. He would fall short of such lofty credentials by a long margin.

Even though the reform movement has made substantial advances, it is ironic that as the first multi-party election approaches, MDP (the so-called biggest opposition party) has become almost irrelevant and toothless. The so-called leaders of the party are mainly to blame for this. The situation has taken turns and twists, like a cruel comedy, whereby the two leading contenders in the upcoming election are emerging to be Gayyoom’s half brother (Yamin) and Gayyoom’s current Finance Minister (Gasim). Whether we want to accept it or not, it is a fact that these two heavyweights will polarize the public; and it is becoming increasingly likely that the next president could very well be either Gasim or Yamin. How cruel and ironic could that be?

Umar Naseer’s ID-Party and Ibra’s SD-Party and Adhaalath Party seem to be backing Gasim, while Yamin could forge some partnership with his half brother. Rumours are ripe that Gasim and Dr. Munavvar are joining forces to form a new party which will promote Gasim’s candidacy. Yamin is also in the process of registering his own party. These two new parties could brush aside MDP and DRP – which have hitherto been the two leading parties. It remains to be seen what sort of coalition or group that Dr. Hassan can assemble to contend with the ambitions of Yamin and Gasim.

It is safe to assume that Gasim and Yamin would both be sympathetic to Gayyoom and will try to shape the next government so as to protect the “legacy and family” of Gayyoom. Whoever wins the next election, it is becoming increasingly likely that Gayyoom may not be among the losers! His “great escape” seems to be working just fine! Gayyoom may rule this country even from his grave. That may perhaps be his greatest “personal legacy”!