Jagmeet Singh is the kingmaker in Canada elections
While Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party held onto power in a nail-biting poll, Indian-origin Canadian Jagmeet Singh-led New Democratic Party (NDP) is likely to emerge as the "kingmaker". The party had won 24 seats in the general elections in Canada. The Liberal Party bagged 157 seats, the opposition Conservative 121, Bloc Quebecois 32, NDP 24, Green Party 3 and one Independent in the just-concluded Canadian general election, the results of which were declared on Tuesday.
With the development, Justin Trudeau would now require at least 13 legislators from his left-leaning rival parties to reach the ''magic number'' of 170, which would help him form a Liberal Party-led minority government in the 338-seat House of Commons.
With 24 seats in its kitty, the NDP has lost nearly 50 per cent of the seats it had won in 2015. The party, led by Thomas Mulcair, had won 44 seats, becoming the third-largest party in the House of Commons in 2015.
Despite the drop in seats, Jagmeet Singh in a celebratory speech on Tuesday said his party will now be "working hard" to deliver on the "priorities that Canadians have".
"When we get back to Ottawa, every single day we are in parliament, New Democrats are going to be working to make sure Canadians'' lives are better," he was quoted as saying by local media.
Jagmeet Singh said his party's elected officials will now head to Ottawa to tackle a number of issues, including taking "real and urgent action" on climate change, making life more affordable for Canadians and making sure the "super-wealthy pay their fair share".
Jagmeet Singh, who was himself a prime ministerial contender, said he wants the NDP to play a "constructive" role in the new Parliament, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
Addressing supporters at his party headquarters in Burnaby, Singh said, "It is such an amazing honour to be home here in British Columbia with all of you."
The first non-white leader of a federal political party in Canada congratulated Justin Trudeau on his win and said he spoke to him earlier in the day, the report said.
Jagmeet Singh, a leftist former criminal defence lawyer, said he wants the NDP to play a "constructive and positive role" in the new Parliament.
"The winner of this election is not a leader or a party -- the winners should be Canadians. They want a government that works for them. Not the rich and the powerful," Jagmeet Singh tweeted.
In another tweet, Jagmeet Singh said, "Thank you, Canada. What a night – and what an unforgettable journey this campaign has been. With our new NDP caucus in Ottawa, I'm incredibly excited to continue our critical work to achieve the priorities that we’ve heard from people across this country."
In March this year, Indian-origin Jagmeet Singh had created political history in Canada when he made his debut in the House of Commons as the first non-white leader of a major opposition party in the country.
The arrival of the turbaned leader into the house, cheered by all members, coincided with the induction of a senior woman member into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet.
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