THE HINDU, 29th JUNE, 2018-Former Maldivian President and exiled opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed on Friday said that he was exiting the presidential race, after the Election Commission barred his candidacy.“In light of the fact that @ElectionsMv have written to [Maldivian Democratic Party] MDP saying that I can’t contest in the upcoming Presidential Elections, I have decided to relinquish my Presidential ticket. I hope to do this at MDP’s 3rd Congress. The EC’s decision is illegal and they must be sanctioned,” he said in a tweet. Earlier this month, authorities said Maldivian presidential elections would be held on September 23. Incumbent leader President Abdulla Yameen is eyeing another term, while his political opponents and dissidents remain in jail or in exile.

With Mr. Nasheed pulling out of the controversial election, the MDP is considering other candidates.  Amidst speculation that the party’s parliamentary group leader and senior lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was a likely replacement, MDP sources said a final decision would be taken based on discussions at the MDP’s national congress scheduled to begin Saturday.

Amidst what critics deem Mr. Yameen’s growing slant towards authoritarianism, last year, opposition forces announced an unlikely coming together to jointly challenge him.