In a notable sign of potential reconciliation, both former presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih have indicated their willingness to work together for the future of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

The indications came after Former President Solih called for members who had left the party to set aside internal disputes and unite for the party's and the nation's progress.

During an interview with a local media channel Raajje TV, Solih attributed the MDP's loss in the 2023 presidential election to the departure of party members. 

 He urged both sides to reconcile and find a way to collaborate effectively.

Supporting Solih's sentiment, Former President and MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed shared Solih's statement on social media X, acknowledging its truth and expressing hope that the goal of unity can be achieved.

The background to this situation involves significant internal strife within the MDP.

After the primary elections last year, internal conflicts led to the formation of a faction within the party by Nasheed.

This division eventually resulted in the departure of 13 MDP long term leaders who then established a new party, The Democrats.

Nasheed eventually left the MDP to join The Democrats, leading to a series of rebukes exchanged between the two parties.

Even in the recent parliamentary elections, The Democrats directed their rhetoric more towards the MDP rather than the opposition PPM/PNC.

Following the MDP's significant loss in the elections, there was a strong consensus among party members that both Solih and Nasheed should be held accountable for the party's drastic decline.

This recent exchange between Nasheed and Solih marks the first indirect agreement between the two former presidents to set aside their differences and work together since the split.

Their public statements suggest a potential path forward for healing and unity within the MDP.