Shaheem responds to Imran: not necessary to leave cabinet

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem has responded to Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla after he commented on Shaheem's decision to rejoin Adhaalath Party.

Shaheem announced his decision to rejoin Adhaalath Party and contest for party president yesterday.

In response, Imran posted that he welcomes Shaheem's decision if he is going to leave President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's cabinet and work with Adhaalath Party to save the country from the situation it has fallen into due to "President Muizzu's incompetence".

In response, Shaheem retorted that there is no reason to leave the cabinet to contest for a party leadership position. He said that the party's regulations do not state that a party member cannot stay in a cabinet position.

'If members of Adhaalath Party elect me as President, I will move forward with the party in the way decided on by the congress," Shaheem stated.

Shaheem has earlier been in Adhaalath Party for 12 years, even having served as Islamic Minister on a party slot during the administration of former President Mohamed Waheed.

Despite Imran's remarks, other senior officials of Adhaalath Party, including Sheikh Ilyas Hussain and Dr Iyaz Mohamed Latheef, have welcomed Shaheem's decision.

Shaheem stated that he is currently not a member of any political party, He was previously a member of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), but has not joined any party after PPM was dissolved.