Tensions within the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have resurfaced as the party prepares for its chairperson election, reviving divisions that emerged during the former MDP government.

The latest dispute has centred around former President Mohamed Nasheed’s return to the MDP and former party chairperson Fayyaz Ismail’s decision to contest for the chairperson post under the slogan “Bodu Badhalu”.

The divisions widened as supporters of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and former President Mohamed Nasheed exchanged criticism on social media over the internal rifts that emerged within the party ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

A recent exchange between Nasheed and MDP lawyer Mahfooz Saeed has drawn further attention. In a group chat that later circulated on social media, Nasheed said those who fail in elections should take a step back from party affairs. Mahfooz disagreed, describing the remark as an attempt to intimidate and sideline those who did not support him.

Nasheed responded by saying a political party can only be run by organising ranks and identifying those who remain closest to the leadership and those positioned further behind.

The exchange has sparked criticism from some MDP members, who argue that the party’s internal election should focus on its future direction rather than past disputes.

Supporters aligned with Solih have accused Nasheed of contributing to the MDP’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election, while Nasheed and his supporters have argued that he was isolated within the party during Solih’s administration.

The debate has also brought renewed attention to past tensions between the two leaders, including claims by Nasheed that figures close to Solih worked to sideline him after the MDP’s landslide victory in the 2019 parliamentary election.

With the chairperson race intensifying, exchanges between rival camps have become increasingly personal, raising concerns among sections of the public about the unity and strength of the MDP as the country’s main opposition party.