Shivani Raja, an Indian-origin businesswoman, has taken her oath as a UK Member of Parliament on the Bhagavad Gita. Winning the Leicester East seat for the Conservative Party, she ended the Labour Party's 37-year control of the constituency. Shivani contested against Rajesh Agrawal, a fellow Indian-origin candidate from Labour.
Oath on the Gita
After her swearing-in ceremony, Shivani expressed her pride on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "It was an honour to be sworn into Parliament today to represent Leicester East. I was truly proud to swear my allegiance to His Majesty King Charles on the Gita."
Election significance
Shivani's victory is particularly significant in the context of Leicester City's recent communal tensions between the Indian Hindu and Muslim communities following the India vs. Pakistan T20 Asia Cup match in 2022. She secured 14,526 votes, defeating Agrawal, who received 10,100 votes. This marks the first time since 1987 that Leicester East has elected a Conservative MP.
Rise of Indian-origin MPs
In addition to Shivani, 27 other Indian-origin MPs were elected to the House of Commons in the UK’s general election on July 4. The election saw a transformative shift, bringing a Labour government to power.
Parliamentary changes
The new House of Commons includes the largest number of women ever elected, with 263 female MPs, and the highest number of lawmakers of color, totaling 90. Keir Starmer, the new Prime Minister, vowed to rebuild Britain following Labour's landslide victory, securing 412 seats out of 650. The Conservatives, led by Rishi Sunak, won only 121 seats, a significant drop from their previous tally.
Sunak’s farewell
In his emotional farewell speech, Rishi Sunak apologised to voters for the party’s heavy defeat and announced his decision to step down as party leader once his successor is chosen. He acknowledged the public's anger and disappointment, taking full responsibility for the loss.
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