Mahendra Chaudhry

Mahendra Pal Chaudhry (Hindi : महेन्द्र पाल चौधरी ) (born 9 February 1942) is a Fijian and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party. Following a historic election in which he defeated the long-time former leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, the former trade union leader became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister on 19 May 1999, but exactly one year later, on 19 May 2000 he and most of his Cabinet were taken hostage by coup leader George Speight, in the Fiji coup of 2000. Unable to exercise his duties, he and his ministers were sacked by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara on 27 May; Mara intended to assume emergency powers himself but was himself deposed by the military leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama. After 56 days in captivity, Chaudhry was released on 13 July and subsequently embarked on a tour of the world to rally support. He was one of the leading voices raised in opposition to the Qarase government's proposed Reconciliation and Unity Commission, which he said was just a mechanism to grant amnesty to persons guilty of coup-related offences. In January 2007 he was appointed as Minister of Finance, Sugar Reform Public Enterprise and National Planning in the interim Cabinet of Commodore Frank Bainimarama, following another coup. Chaudhry was also co-chair of the task force focusing on economic growth within the National Council for Building a Better Fiji. In 2008, he left the government and became an outspoken critic of it.

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Famous quotes by Mahendra Chaudhry:

"I think the lines have been drawn and it is best now that the government tread carefully."
"We have been complaining about the registration of voters since last year. There are hundreds of voters assigned to wrong constituencies."
"The preservation of the status quo, with respect to the election of the president and the vice-president will inspire confidence and certainty and provide much-needed political stability after the election."
"This election should not be about race, about language, about coups, about an Indian or Fijian prime minister."
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Latest News for: mahendra chaudhry

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'Fiji is in a mess': Rabuka needs to be supported 'wholeheartedly' - Kamikamica

RNZ 24 Mar 2025
Manoa Kamikamica was responding to Labour leader Mahendra Chaudhry, who last week called Rabuka "unfit to lead the country" and "frequently inconsistent". Chaudhry hit out after Rabuka did a u-turn on restoring disgraced MP Lynda Tabuya to Cabinet.
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'Is Rabuka forgetful or plain fickle?': Chaudhry says Fiji PM 'unfit to lead'

RNZ 21 Mar 2025
Labour leader Mahendra Chaudhry made the comment after Rabuka did a u-turn on restoring a backbencher to Cabinet who he demoted after she appeared in a private video dancing naked ... Chaudhry said on the FLP's facebook page.
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Fiji's PM says media must prove Rolex watch allegations

RNZ 15 Mar 2025
Former prime minister and Labour leader Mahendra Chaudhry has been demanding to know where the prime minister got the watch from.
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Fiji PM silent on allegations of receiving NZ$113,000 Rolex watch

RNZ 12 Mar 2025
Labour leader Mahendra Chaudhry said on the party's Facebook page on Friday that it was time Rabuka came clean ... The Prime Minister must respond," Chaudhry said ... But its the Prime Minister who administers that," Chaudhry said.
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Tabuya ‘an ideal Minister for Information’, Fiji’s PM says

Cook Islands News 08 Mar 2025
A former Fiji Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry declined to comment except to say; ... Chaudhry, who heads the Fiji Labour Party, had welcomed Tabuya's dismissal from Cabinet and believed she should have been expelled from the People's Alliance Party.
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Tabuya 'an ideal Minister for Information' Fiji's PM says

RNZ 08 Mar 2025
A former Fiji Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry declined to comment except to say; ... Chaudhry, who heads the Fiji Labour Party, had welcomed Tabuya's dismissal from Cabinet and believed she should have been expelled from the People's Alliance Party.
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