Indian-origin candidates, Kanishka Narayan from Bihar and Navendu Mishra from Uttar Pradesh, have won seats in the UK parliamentary elections, with their victories celebrated in their native towns.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday extended commiserations to the UK's Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak on the party's recent electoral defeat, saying victories and setbacks are inevitable part of democracy and "we must take both in our stride".
In his letter to Sunak, Gandhi hailed the former British prime minister's dedication to public service and commitment to the British people.
"I would like to extend my commiserations on the recent electoral outcome. Victories and setbacks are both an inevitable part of the journey in a democracy and we must take both in our stride," the Congress leader said.
"Your dedication to public service and commitment to your people are commendable. I also deeply value the efforts you made to strengthen the ties between India and the UK during your term in office," he said.
Gandhi expressed confidence that Sunak would continue to contribute to public life with his experience. "I wish you all the best for your future endeavours," the former Congress chief said.
On Friday, Keir Starmer became the UK's new prime minister and vowed to rebuild Britain, hours after his Labour Party secured a landslide victory in a general election in which the weary voters inflicted a "sobering verdict" on Rishi Sunak-led Conservatives.
The Labour Party secured 412 seats in the 650-member House of Commons, up 211 from the 2019 elections.
From Muzaffarpur To UK Parliament: Bihar Town Celebrates Local Boy's Success
The UK parliamentary elections may have disappointed a lot of Indians over Rishi Sunak losing power, but a north Bihar town is celebrating the success of a son of the soil.
Kanishka Narayan, an MP of the Labour Party which has returned to power after a decade and a half, has his roots in Muzaffarpur, situated about 70 km from the state capital.
"The mood is upbeat in our housing complex, where many distinctly remember having seen Kanishka as a toddler," said Jayant Kumar, Director of the city-based Shri Krishna Law College.
Kumar's younger brother Santosh is the father of the 33-year-old MP representing Vale of Glamorgan, who entered politics after giving up a career in the British civil services.
"We hail from a village in Goraul block of adjoining Vaishali district. A passion for law runs in our blood. Our late father Krishna Kumar had founded the law college here," said the proud uncle.
UP-Origin Navendu Mishra Wins Seat For Winning Labour Party In UK General Elections
A Labour Party candidate's landslide victory in the UK general elections sparked celebrations thousands of kilometres away in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur and Gorakhpur.
Navendu Mishra, elected to the House of Commons for a second consecutive term from the Stockport constituency, was born in Kanpur in 1989. His mother's paternal home is in Gorakhpur.
Mishra's maternal uncle Nilendar Pandey, a social worker and businessman who now lives in Lucknow, told PTI that some people in Gorakhpur, Lucknow and Kanpur celebrated his victory by distributing sweets and setting off crackers.
Pandey said Mishra left for the UK with his parents when he was four years old. His father was a marketing manager for Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited and moved to the UK after taking charge of a British company.
He entered politics after completing his studies in London and was elected to the House of Commons in the 2019 elections on a Labour Party ticket from Stockport.
Political experts claimed that Mishra's victory and his connection with India would strengthen bilateral relations and cultural, political and social ties between the two nations.