Gasim meets Indian High Commissioner Rajeev Shahare

Leader of Jumhoory Party (JP) Gasim Ibrahim has met today with the Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives, Rajeev Shahare.

Gasim left the Indian High Commission in Male’ moments ago, after an hour long meeting with the chief Indian diplomat in the Maldives.

Speaking to Sun in front of the Indian High Commission moments ago, Gasim Ibrahim said that the purpose of the meeting was to “discuss a number of things,” including the alleged irregularities surrounding the September 7th presidential election, the Indian restrictions on the export of river sand and aggregate to the Maldives and difficulties faced by Maldivians in obtaining visas to the country.

Gasim’s meeting with the Indian High Commissioner takes place about a day after the JP leader met with Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed. The meeting took place on Thursday evening in Gasim’s residence, M. Maafannu Villa.

Having gained 45 percent, Mohamed Nasheed led the first round polls with Gasim ending up in a close third behind Progressive Party of Maldives candidate Abdulla Yameen, who took 25 percent.

Gasim has since filed a case in Supreme Court, asking the court to annul the September 7th election results. Gasim told Sun today that he will respect the verdict of the court.

“I will accept the [Supreme Court's] judgment on this issue. I also asked why we’re having trouble getting aggregate and river sand, why we’re having difficulty getting visas. Well, these are questions I ask everyday,” Gasim said.

Gasim was strongly against Indian infrastructure giant GMR's management of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport and advocated towards the annulment of the contract. The GMR issue produced unprecedented friction between the two countries.

It is strongly believed that Gasim gained the support of religiously conservative Adhaalath Party over promises that he would protect the country from external influences.