Maldives votes in parliamentary elections amid India-China rivalry

As polls close, Mohamed Muizzu’s moves to increasingly shift away from New Delhi has caused tension.

Polls have closed in the Maldives where voters have cast their ballots in a parliamentary election crucial for President Mohamed Muizzu, who has taken a pro-China stand and turned the archipelago nation away from longtime ally India since coming to power last September.

The elections on Sunday were keenly watched by India and China as they vie for influence in the island country, which is known for its pristine beaches and luxury resorts and is strategically located in the Indian Ocean, where global east-west shipping lanes pass through.

About 284,000 people were eligible to vote in Sunday’s polls, and tentative results are expected later on the same day.

Six political parties and independent groups are fielding 368 candidates for 93 seats in Parliament. Splits in all the main political groupings, including Muizzu’s People’s National Congress-led ruling coalition and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), are expected to make it hard for any single party to win an outright majority.

Ali Nasser Mohamed, Maldives ambassador to the United Nations told Al Jazeera that the government is quiet confident of securing at least 90% of the seats in the Parliament.