Rishi Sunak will take over as the U.K.’s youngest and wealthiest prime minister in modern history on Monday after other contenders pulled out of the race to lead the Conservative Party.
After former Prime Minister Boris Johnson withdrew his candidature abruptly, Penny Mordaunt was left as the only challenger, but she was unable to garner the required 100 nominations from her fellow MPs.
The 42-year-old Sunak, a rich Hindu descended from East African and Indian immigrants, will be responsible for guiding a bitterly divided nation through an economic collapse that threatens to make millions of people poorer.
Indian politicians, across party lines, congratulated Sunak on social media.
Indian PM Says Sunak A "Living Bridge"
India's prime minister Narendra Modi tweeted he was looking forward to working with Sunak on global issues.
"Warmest congratulations @RishiSunak! As you become UK PM, I look forward to working closely together on global issues, and implementing Roadmap 2030. Special Diwali wishes to the 'living bridge' of UK Indians, as we transform our historic ties into a modern partnership."
Lesson To Be Learnt By Parties that Practise Majoritarianism
Senior Congress politician and former Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said that here was a lesson to be learnt by India and the parties that practise majoritarianism.
“First (United State Vice President) Kamala Harris, now Rishi Sunak. The people of the U.S. and the U.K have embraced the non-majority citizens of their countries and elected them to high office in government. I think there is a lesson to learn by India and the parties that practise majoritarianism,” Chidambaram tweeted.
Shashi Tharoor, a Congressman and Parliament member, tweeted before the results, “If this does happen, I think all of us will have to acknowledge that the Brits have done something very rare in the world, to place a member of a visible minority in the most powerful office. As we Indians celebrate the ascent of @RishiSunak, let's honestly ask: can it happen here?”
History Comes Full Circle
Raghav Chadha, a Rajya Sabha member for the Aam Aadmi Party, which governs the Indian union territory of New Delhi, congratulated Sunak and said, "History comes full circle."
“Today, as India celebrates Diwali in its 75th year as an independent nation, the UK gets an Indian-origin Prime Minister. History comes full circle. Congratulations, @RishiSunak and Happy Diwali!” Chadha tweeted.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Priti Gandhi tweeted, “So it [is] confirmed. On Diwali day, @RishiSunak to make history as Britain's first Indian-origin, Hindu Prime Minister. Who would have imagined the tables would turn in just 75 years!!"
Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta also congratulated Sunak and said Indians across the world were proud of him, for being the first-ever Indian-origin prime minister of the U.K.
Mahua Moitra, an outspoken member of the Trinamool Congress, wished Sunak well and said, "May India be more open and welcoming of all faiths, all origins."
“Proud of the UK, my second favourite country for placing a British Asian in Number 10. May India be more tolerant and more accepting of all faiths, all backgrounds,” Moitra tweeted.
Dramatic Turn of Political Fortunes
Sunak's triumph is a spectacular turnabout in his political fortunes. Last month, Sunak lost the prime minister seat to the now departing Prime Minister Liz Truss after his popularity among party members did not convert in the larger Tory membership ballot.
After only 45 days in power and an open rebellion against the leadership inside the Conservative Party, Truss announced her resignation as prime minister on Thursday.
The son of a general practitioner of Indian descent named Yashvir and a pharmacist named Usha, who was born in the U.K., spoke frequently about his immigrant roots during the previous election campaign.
Sunak also made history by lighting Diwali diyas at 11 Downing Street when he was the first Chancellor of the Exchequer of Indian descent.
Photo: I T S via Shutterstock
