Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)'s leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed has congratulated MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih following his election as the party's candidate for this year's presidential race.

Solih as elected through a vote at MDP's national congress meeting on Saturday evening, where 791 members voted in favor.

While Nasheed won the party ticket through a primary held on May 30, he announced his withdrawal from the elections on Friday citing Elections Commission's refusal to allow him to contest. Noting that Nasheed is a convict, the Commission has said that Nasheed is not eligible to contest. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison on terror charges in March 2015, after a trial that lasted a little over two weeks.

Nasheed then asked MDP's congress to determine a presidential candidate at the meeting. This is the first national congress meeting held without Nasheed's presence.

The former president congratulated the Hinnavaru constituency MP via twitter, and expressed his confidence that the Joint Opposition will be victorious in the upcoming election.

"President [Abdulla] will lose by a huge margin", he added to the tweet.

The Joint Opposition had, late Friday night, announced that they will be electing a candidate from MDP for the presidential elections, with a running mate from Jumhooree Party. Other parties in the opposition coalition are Adhaalath Party and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's faction of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).