A historic 28 individuals of Indian descent secured seats in the UK Parliament following a decisive electoral outcome on Friday, marking a significant representation boost despite challenges faced by the Conservative Party.
Among the elected MPs, a record-breaking 12 hail from the Sikh community, with six of them being women, all representing the Labour Party.
The cohort includes nine newcomers, two incumbents re-elected for the third term, and one MP returning for her second stint in the House of Commons.
Labour stalwarts Preet Kaur Gill and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi secured victories in Birmingham Edgbaston and Slough respectively, each marking their third consecutive wins.
Nadia Whittome, notable for being the youngest MP at 23, clinched Nottingham East for the second term, identifying proudly as both queer and a Catholic Sikh.
In a historic first, Kirith Entwistle, also known as Kirith Ahluwalia, became Bolton North East's first female MP, while Sonia Kumar achieved a similar milestone in Dudley. Harpreet Kaur Uppal entered Parliament for the first time with a victory in Huddersfield.
The UK now ranks second globally, after Canada, in terms of Sikh representation, underscoring its diverse political landscape.
Outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak led the charge for Conservative British Indians, securing a resounding victory in Richmond and Northallerton, Yorkshire.
Other prominent Tory figures retaining their seats included former Home Secretaries Suella Braverman and Priti Patel, alongside Sunak's ally Claire Coutinho of Goan origin.
In a notable win for the Conservatives, Gagan Mohindra retained his seat in South West Hertfordshire, while Shivani Raja added a gain in Leicester East, a closely watched contest against Labour's Rajesh Agrawal.
Both candidates campaigned vigorously on local issues, including the preservation of Leicester's cherished Diwali lights amid budget concerns.
However, the Conservative losses included Shailesh Vara, narrowly defeated in North West Cambridgeshire by Labour, and Ameet Jogia, losing the Hendon seat in London.
Reflecting the overall outcome, the Labour Party celebrated a substantial number of victorious candidates from the Indian diaspora, including seasoned figures like Seema Malhotra.
Valerie Vaz, sister of former MP Keith Vaz, secured Walsall and Bloxwich, while Lisa Nandy emerged victorious in Wigan.
Follow us
