Mathai in Maldives; will push for early presidential elections

India has proposed early presidential elections in Maldives to end the political impasse in the country following the ouster of the first democratically elected President Mohamed Nasheed.

During his talks with leaders of political parties on Tuesday night, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai proposed a paper which hinted at presidential election before the end of this year, local media quoted participants at the meeting as saying.

Mathai arrived in Male on Tuesday on an unannounced visit to hold meetings with various stakeholders. This is his second visit following the political unrest that sieged the country early this month following Nasheed's ouster.

The Sun online claimed that the paper presented by Mathai sought amendments to the Constitution within one month to pave the way for an early Presidential election before December this year.

Asked on the outcome of the meeting, chaired by the first human rights commissioner of Maldives and ex-minister Ahmed Mujuthaba, Mathai said he might tell something later on Wednesday.

Indian High Commissioner to Maldives D M Mulay and Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, former chief of Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party, were also present. Maldives current Attorney General also attended the meeting towards the end.

During the meeting, few political leaders had some differences with the foreign secretary and the meeting which lasted for two hours didn't find a consensus forward.

Some of the political parties representatives objected the presence of Mathai at the meeting, saying it was not good as the Indian Foreign Secretary is involving himself in  the internal matters of this country, media reports said.

Mathai came to Maldives at the peak of the differences among the political parties and it was he who was able to make all the political parties agree for talks.

Mujuthaba said there are so many points to be discussed and among them two are very arguable. That is the date of an early Presidential election and the agreement between the political parties to make way for President Mohamed Waheed to deliver the opening speech at the Majlis (Parliament) on Thursday.

Mujuthaba also hoped that a consensus among the agenda can come to an end at the meeting to be held later on Wednesday. The foreign secretary during his earlier visit on

February 15, had helped broker a deal between the political parties here on the issue of early elections.

Sources had earlier said that India was willing to offer any assistance, if asked for, for holding elections in the country that had witnessed political unrest following the resignation of Nasheed as President on February 7.

oting that the People's Majlis (Parliament) is scheduled to meet on March 1, official sources had said they hoped "some sort of understanding, some sort of arrangement  among the parties on not only on the date of elections but also for cooperation on the floor of Parliament".