Former Transport Minister and Jumhooree Party (JP) Deputy Leader Aishath Nahula has announced her candidacy for the South Hulhumalé seat in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The announcement was made via a social media post on Monday night.

Nahula, married to JP Leader and Maamigili MP Qasim Ibrahim, entered politics relatively recently, starting with her role in former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s cabinet. During the first round of the presidential elections in September, she supported her husband against Solih. However, JP remained neutral in the runoff election, refraining from endorsing any candidate.

The party, currently in discussions with both the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) and the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has not yet finalised its strategy for the 2024 parliamentary elections. This includes decisions on holding primaries or forming coalitions.

Nahula is a member of the five-person council within JP, tasked with decision-making for the elections. Her decision to run comes at a challenging time for JP, which has seen a decline in popularity since the last parliamentary elections. The party holds only two seats in the 19th Parliament, including that of Qasim Ibrahim.

Qasim Ibrahim’s recent presidential campaign ended in a significant defeat, garnering less than 5,500 votes. This loss sparked rumors of party dissolution and prompted several JP members to join larger political parties.