Indian Americans gear up for Lok Sabha elections

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Apr 13 (PTI) The Indian community living
in the US is showing keen interest in the parliamentary
elections with some overseas leaders planning to visit the
country to actively campaign for their favorite candidates.

The 15th general elections have brought into action
the Overseas Friends of the BJP (OFBJP) and Indian National
Overseas Congress (INOC), both affiliate themselves with the
BJP and the Congress respectively.

Leaders from both the OFBJP and INOC are planning to
go there in coming days to campaign for the respective
parties.

Led by general secretary George Abraham, INOC is
campaigning for Congress candidate from Thiruvananthapuram,
Shashi Tharoor.

Former UN official Tharoor, who ran for the post of UN
Secretary General, was a popular figure among the NRI in the
US. Cutting across party lines, Indian American community want
Tharoor to win his maiden debut to Indian electoral politics.

Meanwhile, leaders of the OFBJP in emails have asked
their friends and people in India to vote for BJP.

"OFBJP and BJP's sympathizers appeal people of India
to vote for BJP in the forthcoming parliament election so that
a stable and strong government can be formed at the Center,"
said Rajesh Shukla of the OFBJP in a statement.

Alleging that the leaders of the third and fourth
front are opportunistic, Shukla said a vote to these parties
would be a sheer waste.

In an email-blast Sunday, Shukla charged that the
Government of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been one
of the weakest one in post-Independent India.

"Under the given circumstances, it is only the BJP
which is capable of leading India once again," said Shukla,
who is schedule to campaign for the party in New Delhi and
in his home state in northern India, Uttar Pradesh, later this
month. PTI