Dictator Gayoom’s letter is slanderous- Thasmeen

Leader of the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has said that the recent letter of former President of Maldives and founding leader of DRP, Dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is slanderous and written to defame his leadership.

In an interview to local radio channel SunFM, DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen said that the content of the Gayoom’s letter was based on false accusations to attack him and slander his reputation.

Thasmeen said that he will be replying to the letter soon in writing. He said that he will not detail on the content of the letter until Gayoom himself release it to the media. He added that the letter enclosed the false accusations and defamations made on him by the cruel close associates of Dictator Gayoom.

DRP Leader Thasmeen reiterated that the post of Gayoom as the founding leader is just an honoury title and not an authoritative post. He said that Gayoom is now not working in the best interest of the party.

Meanwhile, the news of the fuming internal crisis within DRP has been making headlines in the media for quiet sometime. The anti-Thasmeen movement first led by the dismissed DRP Deputy Leader Umar Naseer, which is now taken over by DRP founding leader Gayoom, has been continuously attempting to expose Thasneem’s leadership lapses and defame him.

However, against the background of all these mounting challenges and the volatile internal clashes, Thasmeen on his part has been assuring his fellow party members and supporters he will remain firm as Party Leader despite the opposition to oust him. Thasmeen is seen to have the support of other strong politicians such as Speaker Abdulla Shahid, and MP Hamdoon Hameed.

Though it was Former President, DRP founding Leader Gayoom himself who endorsed Thasmeen to be his successor in party leadership, his support for Thasmeen has been apparently lost.