Former President Mohamed Nasheed and his supporters decided not to participate in the 'Heyvalla Thayyaaru’ rally held on Monday night to celebrate the opposition MDP’s victory in Saturday’s elections.

Tension among party members has increased after Nasheed was excluded from the roster of speakers for the event.

A vacant seat was placed between former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and MDP interim chairman Abdul Ghafoor Moosa at the start of the rally. The seat was removed shortly after the session began.

In a message on his unofficial X account, Nasheed shared that even though Monday evening was a celebratory time, he felt sorrow.

The original agenda for the rally included speeches by Nasheed, former President Solih, the five MDP mayors who kept their roles, and acting chairman Ghafoor Moosa. However, the timetable was abruptly modified, removing the addresses by Nasheed and Solih. The updated schedule includes speeches from the five mayors, Ghafoor, and party leader Abdulla Shahid.

The sudden choice, made without informing Nasheed, has caused significant strain within the party. Many followers of Nasheed have stated that they will refrain from joining the rally on Monday evening.