Akhlaq Ahmed Usmani (Expert Diplomacy Affairs)
The result of this general election, to be held in the Maldives, on 23rd September will be the test of India’s influence in the geographically significant country of Indian Ocean and China’s threats will also be examined. This election has become more interesting since Mohamed Nasheed, former President and supporter of India has appealed to India that he should use his influence in the general election of the country.
A day before the election, this appeal of Nasheed is being seen as a challenge from the standing front against President Abdulla Yameen. Yameen is regarded as a supporter of China. In Maldives multiparty election system, with the opposition coming against Yameen, major changes in the country’s politics can be expected, but the way Nasheed appealed to use the influence from India has increased the severity of elections.
Yameen is accused of lying to jail the electoral and political opponents. Foreign media believes that the Yameen government is responsible for corruption in the country. The opposition has tried to stand strong in the leadership of countries senior parliamentarian Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Nasheed is an influential leader but is now exiled to Sri Lanka. He believes that Yameen will be a coup but he feared that his political power would not be reduced. In the year 2015, the former President, who has been facing trial on the issue of terrorism, had to leave the country and seek refuge in Sri Lanka.
Nasheed is considered to be a supporter of India. Recently, in the relations between India and Maldives, trenchant have increased. President Abdullah Yameen had returned one of the two helicopters given by India in April this year. China’s influence and investment in the Maldives are continuously rising. Despite the contract for development of Malé airport to the company of India, it was given to China.
China has opened the embassy and maybe the Maldives may also give China an island to develop a naval base. After China’s intervention, India is worried about the changing attitude of the Maldives. After China’s intervention, India is worried about the changing attitude of the Maldives.
In March this year; the statement by Maldivian ambassador Mohamed Faisal in China opened the whole story. Faisal had said that India is like a brother of the Maldives but China is like a lost and found cousin. There are no two opinions that if Yameen’s return is made in the results of the Maldives elections, then the distance from Male to New Delhi will increase further.