Maldives: Amid row with India, President Muizzu’s party loses mayoral polls

In a setback to Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, pro-India Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Saturday (January 13) secured a landslide victory in the capital Male’s mayoral election.

The MDP candidate, Adam Azim, has been elected as the new mayor of Male, a post held by Muizzu till recently. Muizzu resigned from the position to contest the presidential elections last year.

The Maldives media reported Azim’s win as a “landslide” and “victory by a large margin”.

Low turnout

The MDP is headed by pro-India former president Mohammad Solih, who was defeated by Muizzu, a pro-China leader, in the presidential elections.

With 41 boxes counted, Azim has taken a huge lead with 5,303 votes. His rival Aishath Azima Shakoor of Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) got 3,301 votes, Maldives’ Sun Online news portal reported.

The poll was marked by a low turnout, according to reports.

The Mayoral election victory is expected to revive the political fortunes of the MDP, which still holds a majority in the Parliament.

Row with India

Muizzu returned to Male on Saturday after a five-day state visit to China.

The Mayoral polls were held in the backdrop of derogatory comments posted by three deputy ministers of the Muizzu government against Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading to a diplomatic row with India. During his high-profile visit to China, Muizzu sought to align Maldives closer to Beijing.

Muizzu suspended the three ministers after their social media postings, which stirred concern in India and calls for a boycott by Indian tourists who ranked highest in numbers followed by Russia. Chinese tourists figured third.

Muizzu’s jibe at India

Upon returning home, Muizzu said on Saturday that his island nation may be small but it doesn’t give other countries the license to “bully us”.

“Though we have small islands in this ocean, we have a vast exclusive economic zone of 900,000 sq km. Maldives is one of the countries with the biggest share of this ocean,” he told the media on his arrival from China after concluding the state visit, the first after assuming office in November last year.

“This ocean does not belong to a specific country. This (Indian) Ocean also belongs to all countries situated in it,” he said, in an apparent jibe at India.

“We aren’t in anyone’s backyard. We are an independent and sovereign state,” he was quoted as saying by the Sun Online portal.

Growing China ties

During his visit to China, Muizzu held talks with President Xi Jinping after which the two countries signed 20 agreements. “The two sides agree to continue firmly supporting each other in safeguarding their respective core interests,” said a joint statement issued at the end of Muizzu’s talks with the top Chinese leaders.

“China firmly supports the Maldives in upholding its national sovereignty, independence and national dignity, respects and supports the Maldives' exploration of a development path that suits its national conditions, and firmly opposes external interference in the internal affairs of the Maldives,” the statement said, without referring to any country.

In his media briefing in Male, Muizzu said China has granted USD 130 million in assistance for his country. Muizzu said the bulk of the assistance will be spent on redeveloping the roads in Male.

Promises from China

Also, China’s Ambassador to Maldives Wang Lixin said Maldives will receive support for more development projects from Beijing if they align with President Xi’s initiatives.

Wang, who accompanied Muizzu on his visit to China, said there are three key factors to the strong relations between Maldives and China.

“The first and most important factor is mutual political trust. The second factor is to strengthen the docking of President Xi’s initiatives and the national development strategy of President Muizzu. And with this docking, I think we can decide on more projects that benefit the Maldivian people,” she said.

Wang said that the third one is to follow the principle of extensive consultation, joint construction, and also shared benefits. “I think that with these three key factors, we will have a very fruitful and sustainable cooperation in the future,” she said.

Agreement signed

During Muizzu’s visit to Beijing, the two countries signed a USD 50 million agreement to develop an integrated tourism zone in Hulhumale’ besides building 30,000 social housing units in Rasmale’.

China will also provide grant assistance for the development of a 100-bed tertiary hospital in Vilimale, the report said.

The India-built Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male is regarded as the biggest in the country.

During Muizzu’s visit to China, the two countries also signed an agreement to allow Maldives’ national airline, Maldivian, to conduct domestic flight operations in China.

(With agency inputs)