New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening spoke on the phone with Mauritius opposition leader Navin Ramgoolam who is set to take over as Prime Minister for the third time and congratulated him on his coalition’s victory in the parliamentary polls, and invited him to visit India.
PM Modi said he looks forward to working with the new Mauritius PM to strengthen the special bilateral partnership.
In a post on X, PM Modi said:
“Had a warm conversation with my friend @Ramgoolam_Dr, congratulating him on his historic
electoral victory.
“I wished him great success in leading Mauritius and extended an invitation to visit India. Look forward to working closely together to strengthen our special and unique partnership.”
Navin Ramgoolam is set to take over the PM’s post for the third time at the head of his Alliance of Change coalition.
Pravind Jugnauth, the incumbent prime minister of Mauritius, conceded defeat in the parliamentary election, saying his political alliance is headed for a major loss.
“L’Alliance Lepep is heading towards a huge defeat. I have tried to do what I can for the country and the population. The population has decided to choose another team. I wish good luck to the country,” Jugnauth, serving as prime minister since 2017, told reporters on Monday.
The Lepep alliance is led by Jugnauth’s Militant Socialist Movement (MSM).
Only last month, Jugnauth was celebrating a historic deal with Britain to regain sovereignty over the Chagos Islands following a long-running dispute.
However, the election campaign was overshadowed by a wire-tapping scandal, where secretly recorded phone calls of politicians, diplomats and journalists were leaked online.
Both Jugnauth and Ramgoolam are members of the dynasties that have dominated politics in Mauritius since it became independent from Britain in 1968.
Ramgoolam, 77, is the son of Seewoosagur Ramgoolam — who led Mauritius to independence — and served as prime minister between 1995 and 2000 and again from 2005 to 2014.
UNI
