drp addoo
Focus: DRP in AdduBy: Aishath Zeena – Seenu Atoll Correspondent
S.Feydhoo, Maldives, Thursday 12th January 2006 (olhuala.com) – The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) held an historic meeting at Seenu Atoll Feydhoo last night. The meeting was held in the open area (covered with 'tent', tarpaulin) adjacent to the main DRP offices on the island.
The Attorney general, Dr Hassan Saeed, the Justice Minister Uz. Mohamed Jameel and temporary Executive Committee member (women’s representative) Yumna Maumoon were among the DRP team that arrived on the island earlier on Wednesday to attend the meeting. The DRP team was met at the airport by over 200 well-wishers carrying banners and bouquets. Sources within the DRP inform olhuala.com that the DRP team will hold a number of meetings in Addu Atoll before moving on to the Island Atoll of Fuahmulah.
Dr Saeed and Uz. Jameel set the tone for their uniquely vigorous meeting-style to an audience of 100 just six weeks ago in the same island; last night they played to an audience well in excess of 500.
Unlike the DRP's more conservative and respectable 'old guard', the Attorney General and Justice Minister mauled into the opposition in magnificent style. The two led another blistering attack on the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) antics in Fares-Maathoda, it's “lame shadow cabinet” and the opposition in general. Saeed in particular, rattled off a list of criticisms of the MDP for which they will have to search long and hard for valid answers.
Jameel listed counts on which leading MDP activists could be tried for events in Maathoda. Other comments about the 'shadow' cabinet had the audience laughing out loud.
The speeches gave way to uninhibited questions and answers where the MDP's arguments were torn to shreds.
“They [Saeed and Jameel] are fast becoming the DRP's fastest movers and consequently the MDP's most feared foes” said Abdulla Ali Didi, one of the attendees at the meeting.
Mimthaz, one of the main DRP activists in the atoll told olhuala.com “In December, the MDP sent gangs to heckle speakers and disrupt the gathering. This time it was limited to the odd vehicle horn on the street outside. The MDP's usual trick [of] getting a handful of youths to run around with a banner was not visible, such has been the changing tide of support”
Twelve months ago, the MDP candidate for Majlis (Parliament) elections, Aslam, gained in excess of 7,000 votes; last month's by-election saw MDP's Husnu Suood gain barely 5,000: an alarming drop in support.
Although last night was a moral victory for the DRP, analysts believe that the DRP team’s toughest challenge of the tour lies ahead; the meeting to be held on the MDP stronghold of S.Hithadhoo this evening.
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