MDP elects parliamentary candidates in nationwide primaries
Five MPs were defeated by challengers.
19 Jan 2019, 9:00 AM
After a hard-fought campaign, the Maldivian Democratic Party elected candidates for the April 6 parliamentary polls in primaries held across the country on Friday.
With more than 86,000 eligible voters – nearly one-third of the country’s voting age population – and 270 ballot boxes on most inhabited islands as well as in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, it was the largest internal election of a political party to date.
Turnout was high in most areas and voting was extended by an hour in polling stations with long lines.
Some 279 candidates sought the MDP ticket to contest for 77 seats after the party decided to field candidates in all 87 constituencies, insisting there was no binding agreement to jointly contest with coalition parters. Nine candidates secured the ticket uncontested and there were no candidates for the opposition-stronghold Faafu Nilandhoo constituency.
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