Former Home Minister Umar Naseer claims that the downfall of the ruling party started back in 2013.
Naseer, in a statement to mark the 6th anniversary of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), said that the party's destruction began after the "treacherous" primary election in 2013.
He said that he was "not surprised" that the party has deviated from its principles.
Naseer claims that there were 8,000 additional members in the party's voter list for the primary election, highlighting that these individuals "were not in the party registry", but that they "had cast their votes" somehow.
"What we are seeing today is the result of that," he said.
Furthermore, he said that he did "everything" to save the party, and that he was "criticized and mocked" for it.
Naseer lost to incumbent President Abdulla Yameen in the said primary election, and had filled the post of Home Minister afterwards, until June 2016.
His comments come a day after PPM's founder and elected leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom expressed "regret" that the party has "deviated from its objectives".
Noting that PPM was founded "to promote Islamic principles, democratic values, equality of citizens, ruled of law and good governance," Maumoon said that he "will work tirelessly for the immediate restoration of these ideals to ensure the peace, prosperity and progress of our beloved country".
The ruling party has been divided into two factions since June 2016- the Maumoon faction and Yameen faction- as Maumoon and President Yameen continue to dispute over party leadership. The Civil Court had ordered Maumoon to handover the party to President Yameen, the party's chief advisor. Former President Maumoon remains as the leader, but does not have an active role in the party.
Following the dispute, the former President officially withdrew support for his half-brother's government in October 2016, and formed an alliance with opposition parties earlier this year.
