India has welcomed the victory of Abdulla Yameen and taking the cue from his interactions with the Indian leadership, said, ``we saw he would bring about peace in the country…he had ideas that would contribute to Maldives’ stability and prosperity.’’
``Generally, we will be able to work with him. But we are more happy that the elections process has gone through,’’ said Government sources while assessing the polling as ``very clean’’ with each booth having representatives of both parties.
India is now hoping the new President would be appointed as soon as possible and Mr. Yameen will get the support of the people after the bitter taste of acrimonious elections during which the first round was annulled and a fresh one conducted. The run-off round was also postponed and the elections slipped past the deadline of having a new Government in place by November 11.
Mr. Yameen, the son-in-law of former long-time president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, had visited India before the two-stage elections and met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh besides other top leaders and senior diplomats. His mentor Mr. Gayoom had also visited India twice to interact with the Indian leadership, many of whom were familiar to him when he was Maldives President.
``We have a very very close association with the former President [Mr. Gayoom] and have already established a rapport and link not only with Mr. Yamin and Mr. Gayoom but with other senior leaders of the Progressive Party of Maldives,’’ added the sources.