Topic Of The Day :-“Voters’ Choice: On Maldives Presidential Polls”
The Maldives turns the page on pre-election cynicism with a dramatic result
The interim results of Sunday’s presidential election in the Maldives have given the joint opposition candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih a resounding victory in the direct contest with the incumbent, Abdulla Yameen. The final results will be published by the election commission by September 30 and the current government will, according to procedure, hand over charge on November 17. But it is immediately clear that Maldivian voters have ushered in change, with 58% of the voters choosing Mr. Solih. Regardless of political affiliation, Maldivians have much to celebrate with the successful completion of the election. To begin with, the turnout of 89.2% has disproved pre-election cynicism about the integrity of the electoral process. Early on, the opposition had suffered a setback when former President Mohammed Nasheed, who was seen as thefrontrunner, was disqualified from contesting because of a “terrorism conviction”. Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was behind bars on the charge of attempting a coup in February this year. Just ahead of the elections too, there had also been many misgivings over the conduct of the election commission, the courts and security forces, with these worries heightened when the headquarters of the main opposition party, the Maldivian Democratic Party, to which Mr. Solih belongs, were raided. Counting procedures were changed at the last minute, which led to some confusion during Sunday’s polling, and many foreign journalists, including from India, were denied visas. Fortunately, the outcome has belied the worst fears about the election, and after meeting with Mr. Solih, President Yameen conceded defeat and vowed to ensure a smooth transition.
For New Delhi, the results are especially heartening as they present a chance to reset ties with Male, which have been on a downward spiral for several years. This was perceived to be a result of Mr. Yameen’s close understanding with China, to which the Maldives is now heavily indebted. Mr. Yameen responded to India’s criticism of the emergency he declared this year by clamping down on visas to Indian job holders, hundreds of whom await some movement in the matter after the new government takes over. India can also now renew talks over the fate of Indian Coast Guard and Air Force personnel stationed in the Maldives, whose visas have been pending since June. India was quick to welcome the provisional results and to congratulate, among others, the Maldivian Democratic Party, and the Jumhooree Party — to which the Vice-President-elect Faisal Naseem belongs. Going forward, New Delhi must stay clear of partisan positioning on the internal politics of the Maldives. The larger agenda must be to partner the Maldives in its stability and development rather than engaging in a tug of war with China.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) resounding
Meaning : unmistakable; emphatic.
Synonyms : forceful , thundering
Antonyms : incomplete
Example : “the evening was a resounding success”
2) incumbent
Meaning : necessary for (someone) as a duty or responsibility.
Synonyms : binding
Antonyms : unnecessary
Example : “the government realized that it was incumbent on them to act”
3) ushered
Meaning : show or guide (someone) somewhere.
Synonyms : lead
Antonyms : stop
Example : “a waiter ushered me to a table”
4) turnout
Meaning : the number of people attending or taking part in an event, especially the number of people voting in an election.
Synonyms : perks , attendance
Antonyms : origin
Example : “we reckon that thirty-five per cent is a good turnout for local elections”
5) cynicism
Meaning : an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; scepticism.
Synonyms : doubt , distrust
Antonyms : delight
Example : “public cynicism about politics”
6) integrity
Meaning : the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
Synonyms : honesty , inner beauty
Antonyms : dishonesty
Example : “a gentleman of complete integrity”
7) frontrunner
Meaning : the contestant that is leading in a race or other competition.
Synonyms : champ , conqueror
Antonyms : underdog
Example : “the front runner for the presidential nomination”
8) contesting
Meaning : engage in competition to attain (a position of power).
Synonyms : struggling , battling
Antonyms : acceding
Example : “she declared her intention to contest the presidency”
9) conviction
Meaning : a formal declaration by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law that someone is guilty of a criminal offence.
Synonyms : confidence , certitude
Antonyms : doubt
Example : “she had a previous conviction for a similar offence”
10) foment
Meaning : instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action).
Synonyms : provoke , incite
Antonyms : tranquilize
Example : “they accused him of fomenting political unrest”
11) conceded
Meaning : admit or agree that something is true after first denying or resisting it.
Synonyms : approved , allowed
Antonyms : confronted
Example : “I had to concede that I’d overreacted”
12) vowed
Meaning : solemnly promise to do a specified thing.
Synonyms : pledged , promised
Antonyms : disavowed
Example : “the rebels vowed to continue fighting”
13) perceived
Meaning : become aware or conscious of (something);
Synonyms : sensed, detected
Antonyms : missed
Example : “his mouth fell open as he perceived the truth”
14) indebted
Meaning : owing gratitude for a service or favour.
Synonyms : grateful
Antonyms : thankless
Example : “I am indebted to her for her help in indexing my book”
15) clamping
Meaning : fasten (something) in place with a clamp.
Synonyms : grip , fixing
Antonyms : loosening
Example : “the sander is clamped on to the edge of a workbench”
16) introspects
Meaning : examine one’s own thoughts or feelings.
Synonyms : meditates , muses
Example : “what they don’t do is introspect much about the reasons for their plight”
17) await
Meaning : wait for (an event).
Synonyms : hope , expect
Antonyms : doubt
Example : “we await the proposals with impatience”
18) tug
Meaning : pull (something) hard or suddenly.
Synonyms : pull
Antonyms : push
Example : “she tugged off her boots”
