Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail predicted to win Maldives Democratic Party (MDP)'s chairperson election held on Saturday.
MDP's internal election started at 9 am this morning with a total 94,211 voters registered to vote for the Chairperson position. A total of 281 voting boxes were used in this election; 194 boxes in the administrative islands, and 87 boxes in Male'. Due to bad weather, the voting period was extended from 4 pm to 6 pm.
With over 191 vote boxes counted by late Saturday evening show a difference of 6,000 votes between Fayyaz, and his contender, Parliament member representing the Maafannu North Imthiyaz Fahumy. Even if the remaining 90 voting boxes were counted, it is expected that Fayyaz will win the election.
Fayyaz's campaign team predict they will win the election by a 62-65 percent majority by the time all the votes are accounted for.
The MDP Chairperson is hugely in charge of the administration of the party, as well as managing its other internal organs such as its congress, and youth wing. Additionally, the chairperson will play a definitive role in shaping the upcoming Presidential Elections in 2023, which both candidates had highlighted on.
In an interview given to Mihaaru news prior to the election, Fayyaz had said that he was confident that he would get the majority votes from all islands, except for ten islands. His campaign manager Ibrahim Waheed had said some of the islands they were not sure about have given Fayyaz the majority votes as well.
MDP in itself appears to be currently split between two factions; supporters to the President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who had endorsed Fayyaz, and former President and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed who had endorsed Imthiyaz. Both had voted in the election.
Fayyaz is to give a press conference late this evening regarding the election results.
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