What is the Political future of our country?

President Mohamed Naheed
MDP (Mob Driven Party)

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
PPM (Please Pray for Maldives)

The Birth of Progressive Peoples Movement (PPM), and its literal merging with Peoples Alliance Party (PAP), is seen by many as a family conglomeration engineered by Mr. Yameen Abdul Gayoom, seizing an opportunity for a family come back to power.

It’s true; MDP popularity is now at an all-time low across the country and it has been losing support.  It is difficult to gauge how this party will fair in the 2013 elections.  For sure, there is no party with the strength and legs that will sign an alliance with the MDP. People and political insiders of MDP alike have lost trust in the party and its leadership.  MDP has transformed itself from the (Maldivian Democratic Party) to the (Most Distrusted Party) in the Maldives.

What the game plan running up to the 2013 election would be is the multi-million dollar question.  In all likelihood MDP will have to go solo.  Running solo, it will not be able to secure 51% of the votes to retain power.  Here is a rationale. Since coming to power in 2008, MDP governed with vengeance and misgiving, and we the people are sick and tired to our teeth, and will respond with vengeance and misgiving. 

Sources close to GMR has made it clear that finance will be made available for MDP to get voted into office.  So in all likely hoods MDP will pump money into the electorate, through their (CASH FOR VOTES) plan in the 2013. Will this make a difference in the minds of the suffering majority of the Maldivian suffrage?  I’d rather not contemplate on the outcome.  Here’s a response.  “Once bitten twice shy”, “A goat that scaled a fence will clamber another” there is the Dhivehi version of this too.

So no matter how guided one is by the belief that the twenty-third hour will see the MDP’s cash for vote program turn the situation around, people believe that MDP’s Cash for Vote program is not be money “given”, but money “returned”.  

The anger and the hopelessness of the destitute becomes apparent listening to the FM Radio Call shows in Male. For sure, they are not all choreographed and premeditated though some maybe. The vast majority of the callers appear to be speaking impromptu with emotion. Those calls tell a story about our future. If one was to crap these cries as just radio hogwash, it doubtlessly is a reflection of the measure and degree of delusion he is living with.

All eyes are now on PPM.  MDP is worried to their last tooth.  President Nasheed has kick-started his Presidential race already. The recklessness of the president in his haste to win is making mistakes, video tapes of him arguing with the public who don’t see eye to eye with are been made public. Bear in mind, he has a ton of restless and disgruntled members within his party ranks. Sources inside MDP confirm that Mr. Didi; MDP President are Mr. Moosa Maniku (Reeko) are prepared for any eventuality if and when required.  “There is a moment of time in our lives when we simply have to stand up and say enough is enough.  That time has now come.” said MDP insider.

It is unconceivable that any political party will rally behind MDP in 2013. So it will go solo.  We then look at the two next big parties. The PPM and the DRP, both of which are the makings of ex-President Maumoon (the Political Party Maker) success will depend on the party that manages most amount of productive tie ups (obviously). This is not rocket science or something for which a British con artist should be hired at a cost of couple of hundred thousand US Dollars.

Surprisingly, people still love and adore Mr. Gayoom. If that is the wish of the people, we have to respect it and Mr. Gayoom.  If at all possible in the first round, it would be “Maumoonamania” that could sway the tide to win the general election of 2013. There is nothing called “Anniamania” and there never will be. However, there is something called “Aniya mania” an obsession the President is suffering from, and the people hate him for that.