Indo-Americans Continue Successful March To Political Power In US

WASHINGTON – As partof a growing trend of politicalempowerment for the threemillion-strong Indo-Americancommunity, five Indian-Americancandidates scored victoriesin Tuesday’s U.S. polls, with threeof them becoming legislators intwo states and two winning electionsto local bodies.The most significant gainsfor the Indian American communitycame in New Jerseywhere Kolkata-born RajMukherji scored a victory in the33rd district to join fellow DemocratUpendra Chivukula, whoretained his 17th district seat, inthe state assembly.While Mukherji, 29, a formerJersey City deputy mayorand current chairman of theJersey City Housing Authority,is entering the state legislaturefor the first time, Nellore, IndiabornChivukula, 63, has been amember of the New Jersey assemblysince 2002.In another notable victoryby an Indian-American, DemocratLatha Mangipudi upset PeteSilva with an 18-point margin tobecome New Hampshire’s staterepresentative from Ward 8.In the local elections, DemocratSapana Shah won a berthon the Edison Municipal Councilin New Jersey, while SteveRao retained his seat on theMorrisville, North Carolina CityCouncil, remaining as the onlyIndian-American on the Council.There were Indian-Americanlosers too. They includedRepublican Sudhir Deshmukhseeking a New Jersey state assemblyseat from the 5th Districtand Reshma Saujani running forNew York City Public Advocate.Three other Indian-Americans– Rao Bondalapati, VinnieGoel, and Narendra Singh — losttheir respective bids for seats onthe Morrisville city council.Independent SudhanshuPrasad, running to be the Mayorof Edison, also lost his race. Sodid Krupal Shukla, a Republicanrunning for one of three seatson the Edison Municipal Council.In Seattle, Washington,Kshama Sawant lost her racefor a seat on the City Councilto four-term incumbent RichardConlin.U.S. citizens of Indian descent,who were so long knownfor their educational, technological,scientific, entrepreneurialand medical achievements, arenow a growing force in the U.S.with several of them occupyingkey positions in the Obama administration.