UK PM designate Sunak receives wishes from this unlikely place

After the resignation of Liz Truss last week, the Tory Party was again on a quest for the next party leader and successor to the chair of UK Prime Minister.

As Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt withdrew from the race for the chair, Sir Graham Brady, chair of the influential 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, announced in the Parliament complex that he had received only one nomination and therefore Sunak is the winner of the leadership contest.

Outgoing PM Truss who was head to head against Sunak for the chair of UK PM last month, congratulated him and said, “You have my full support.”

Former British Prime Minister Theresa May also vowed support to Sunak. May had taken upon herself to wade the nation through Brexit during her tenure as the Prime Minister.

She wrote, “Congratulations @RishiSunak on becoming Leader of the Conservative Party. Rishi will provide the calm, competent, pragmatic leadership our country needs at this deeply challenging time. He has my full support.”

Reactions poured out for PM designate Sunak from around the world but the most remarkable among them came from an unlikely place. Indian political figures, and many Indian businessmen congratulated Sunak on Twitter celebrating a British PM of Indian descent.

Before the results were announced, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted, “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?”

Veteran Congress leader P. Chidambaram took this moment as an opportunity to acknowledge Sunak’s leadership as well as take a dig at the ruling party BJP.

Chidambaram tweeted, “First 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 learned by India and the parties that practise majoritarianism”

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Priti Gandhi tweeted: So its 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!!”

Congratulating Sunak, Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha 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.

Haryana CM Monohar Lal khattar wrote, “Congratulations to Mr. @RishiSunak , for being elected as the first ever Indian origin UK Prime Minister. Truly a proud moment for Indians all over the world on the auspicious occasion of Diwali!”

Capetian Amarinder Singh also extended his congratulatory wishes to Sunak on behalf of 1,3 billion Indians.

Not only politicians but various industrialists and business tycoons also came forward to congratulate the youngest Prime Minister of UK.

Business tycoon and a vocal voice on social media Anand Mahindra also registered his reaction. He remarked on Churchill’s demeaning comment on Indians and commented, “we’re poised to see a man of Indian origin anointed as PM of the UK.”

He wrote, “In 1947 on the cusp of Indian Independence, Winston Churchill supposedly said “…all Indian leaders will be of low calibre & men of straw.” Today, during the 75th year of our Independence, we’re poised to see a man of Indian origin anointed as PM of the UK. Life is beautiful…”

Indian industrialist and Chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited, Anil Agarwal wrote, “My heartiest congratulations to @RishiSunak on being named the youngest PM of UK. This is auspicious, and adds light, to our Diwali in the UK. May your leadership & foresight help the country grow, and may you foster stronger ties between India & UK. My best wishes!”

Adar Poonawalla, chief executive officer (CEO) of Serum Institute of India shared his picture with Rishi Sunak and congratulated him. He wrote, “what a comeback! you have made history! I have always maintained that you are one of the most committed and capable leaders not just for the #ConservativeParty, but also for the UK.”

Sunak, the third prime minister of the UK this year, will succeed Liz Truss, who had the shortest tenure of any prime minister in British history at just 45 days. He will be the country’s first person of colour and the 57th prime minister of the UK.