Any individual eligible to contest the upcoming elections is ‘clean’ and should therefore be allowed to have their names put forth as a candidate. 

In a tweet on Sunday, Mahloof said that supporters of parties in the Joint Opposition now need to work to ensure that their candidate meets the state’s required criteria.

Mahloof’s tweet translates to, ‘I believe that any candidate who meets the criteria is a clean candidate, and with a deadline set, members need to ensure that their desired candidate meets the criteria. Any candidate that is eligible must be allowed to contest’.

In a separate tweet in response to the aforesaid, Mahloof described incumbent President Abdulla Yameen as ‘afraid of elections’ and willing to disqualify any candidate the Joint Opposition puts forth, ‘even if it is a feline’.

On Sunday, Jumhoree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim said that fellow opposition partner Mohamed Nasheed cannot contest the elections and that his party is ready to put forth a ‘clean’ candidate.

Qasim said this in a letter to members of the party’s council, and in saying 'clean' refers to a candidate that meets the Elections Commission's criteria and will be allowed to compete in the upcoming ballots.