Former President Mohamed Nasheed has rejoined the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) after a two-year fallout. MDP held a special gathering in Malé on Monday evening to welcome Nasheed and members of his breakaway party, The Democrats.

Nasheed returned with key allies, including his cousin and former Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla, several ex-MPs, and other members of The Democrats. In his speech, Nasheed described the moment as emotional, saying it felt like “coming back home,” and thanked the party’s leadership and members for the warm welcome.

MDP President and former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail, and former Vice President Faisal Naseem were present at the event. However, former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his supporters boycotted the gathering, signaling ongoing internal tensions.

Nasheed left MDP in early 2023 after a bitter fallout with Solih and went on to form The Democrats. Last week, Nasheed announced his intention to run in the 2028 Presidential Election and rejoined MDP in hopes of securing the party’s presidential ticket.

He now joins a growing list of contenders, including Solih, Shahid, and others, who are expected to compete in the MDP primary for 2028. Nasheed’s return is set to reshape MDP’s internal politics ahead of key elections.