Indian Navy, US Navy were on standby at Maldives in case elections were rigged: Subramanian Swamy
BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on Monday lashed out at the Indian ambassador to Maldives after the opposition won the elections to form the new government in the island nation.
"After Indian Ambassador to Maldive made the silly statement that my threat was my personal opinion, the Maldive dictator could not relax because because Indian Navy moved several ships into position. The US also moved standby naval forces. Who did it? Namo," Swamy tweeted.
Last month, Swamy had said that if the elections in Maldives were rigged, then India would invade that nation - a statement that did not go down too well with Male, who then summoned the Indian Ambassador to that country. The ambassador, however, at the time, said that it was Swamy's personal opinion.
Maldives opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has won the island nation's presidential election, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Twitter on Monday.
The ministry cited provisional figures from the country's Elections Commission showing Solih winning by a margin of 16.7 percent over incumbent Abdulla Yameen in Sunday's election.
"Voting proceeded smoothly and peacefully, with no reported incidents," the foreign ministry said. "No major issues were reported in the vote counting process as well as with the voters list, which will affect the results."
While Solih received 134,616 votes, Yameen received 96,132 votes, it said.
Of 262,135 eligible voters in this election, 233,877 voters cast their votes at the 472 ballot boxes placed in the Maldives and in four countries abroad, the ministry said, adding that voter turnout was 89.2 percent.
It said that the Elections Commission would announce the official results by September 30.
This was the third Presidential election held in the Maldives, following the adoption of the 2008 Constitution, which paved the way for multi-party democracy in the Maldives. The President and Vice-President, elected today, are expected to* be sworn in on 17 November 2018," it added.
Yameen has faced criticism for jailing opponents in Maldives, popular with tourists and a key state in the battle for influence between India and China in south Asia.
Solih, known popularly as Ibu, claimed victory and called on Yameen to concede.
"The message is loud and clear. The people of Maldives want change, peace and justice," Solih told reporters in the capital Male.
"I would like to call on President Yameen to accept the will of the people and begin a smooth transition of power as per the constitution," he said.
Ibrahim Shihab, a spokesman for the President's Office, declined to comment on the election result when contacted by Reuters.
Mohamed Shainee, the minister of fisheries in Yameen's government, said on Twitter it was "the beginning of a new chapter" for the country.
"Forgive our wrongdoings, give strength to our leaders to resist the temptation to disbelieve," he said.
The United States and India both congratulated the Maldives on its peaceful elections and noted that it appeared likely Solih's opposition coalition had won.
"We urge calm and respect for the will of the people as the election process concludes," US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.
The Muslim-majority nation has become a theatre of rivalry between its traditional partner, India, and China, which has backed Yameen's infrastructure drive and prompted concern in the West about Beijing's increasing influence.
Yameen's government has jailed many of his main rivals, including former president and his half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on charges ranging from terrorism to corruption.
"After Indian Ambassador to Maldive made the silly statement that my threat was my personal opinion, the Maldive dictator could not relax because because Indian Navy moved several ships into position. The US also moved standby naval forces. Who did it? Namo," Swamy tweeted.
Last month, Swamy had said that if the elections in Maldives were rigged, then India would invade that nation - a statement that did not go down too well with Male, who then summoned the Indian Ambassador to that country. The ambassador, however, at the time, said that it was Swamy's personal opinion.
Maldives opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has won the island nation's presidential election, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Twitter on Monday.
The ministry cited provisional figures from the country's Elections Commission showing Solih winning by a margin of 16.7 percent over incumbent Abdulla Yameen in Sunday's election.
"Voting proceeded smoothly and peacefully, with no reported incidents," the foreign ministry said. "No major issues were reported in the vote counting process as well as with the voters list, which will affect the results."
While Solih received 134,616 votes, Yameen received 96,132 votes, it said.
Of 262,135 eligible voters in this election, 233,877 voters cast their votes at the 472 ballot boxes placed in the Maldives and in four countries abroad, the ministry said, adding that voter turnout was 89.2 percent.
It said that the Elections Commission would announce the official results by September 30.
This was the third Presidential election held in the Maldives, following the adoption of the 2008 Constitution, which paved the way for multi-party democracy in the Maldives. The President and Vice-President, elected today, are expected to* be sworn in on 17 November 2018," it added.
Yameen has faced criticism for jailing opponents in Maldives, popular with tourists and a key state in the battle for influence between India and China in south Asia.
Solih, known popularly as Ibu, claimed victory and called on Yameen to concede.
"The message is loud and clear. The people of Maldives want change, peace and justice," Solih told reporters in the capital Male.
"I would like to call on President Yameen to accept the will of the people and begin a smooth transition of power as per the constitution," he said.
Ibrahim Shihab, a spokesman for the President's Office, declined to comment on the election result when contacted by Reuters.
Mohamed Shainee, the minister of fisheries in Yameen's government, said on Twitter it was "the beginning of a new chapter" for the country.
"Forgive our wrongdoings, give strength to our leaders to resist the temptation to disbelieve," he said.
The United States and India both congratulated the Maldives on its peaceful elections and noted that it appeared likely Solih's opposition coalition had won.
"We urge calm and respect for the will of the people as the election process concludes," US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.
The Muslim-majority nation has become a theatre of rivalry between its traditional partner, India, and China, which has backed Yameen's infrastructure drive and prompted concern in the West about Beijing's increasing influence.
Yameen's government has jailed many of his main rivals, including former president and his half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on charges ranging from terrorism to corruption.
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