Charles Haviland BBC News Colombo

	President Mohamed Nasheed

Two opposition MPs have been arrested on charges of corruption and the government is alleging that they’re conspiring against the state.

The tiny Indian Ocean island state is now the scene of a serious power struggle between the President, elected two years ago, and a parliament which is dominated by those opposed to him and supportive of the former ruler, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

	Maumoon Abdul Gayoom

Two of the parliament’s numerically dominant opposition MPs have been arrested, just hours after the president’s cabinet resigned, complaining that parliament was blocking all their initiatives.

A presidential spokesman told the BBC the MPs were being held on charges of corruption which he said were tantamount to blocking the affairs of state and even to trying to topple the government. But an opposition leader accused the government of constantly trying to bypass the chamber, for instance in selling off state assets.

Local residents say hundreds of the president’s supporters are massing in the streets. The security forces have issued a statement saying they’ll assist those responsible for law enforcement; their presence on the streets has been stepped up but only moderately.