[Assam] [assam] Indian Votes Crucial as UK holds Civic Polls today

[bhuban.baruah]

Times Of India (May 3, 2012)


LONDON: Half of Britain would go to the polls for council elections, 
including the one to elect the London mayor, on Thursday with a 
Conservative Party survey last week revealing that British Indians are 
likely to stick to the opposition Labour Party.

A majority of British Indians have historically supported the party as 
its government granted India independence and has been more sympathetic 
to immigrants. But Conservatives have been trying to woo South Asian 
immigrants.

PM David Cameron appointed Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, a British Pakistani, 
as the first Muslim cabinet minister with a task of delivering minority 
votes.

But Conservative leader Lord Ashcroft's survey for which 10,000 
respondents were interviewed showed only 9% Hindus, 9% Sikhs and 5% 
Muslims of the Indian origin felt the Conservative Party represented 
them. In contrast , 38% Hindus, 46% Sikhs and 47% Muslims thought the 
Labour Party stood for them.

The Labour Party is expected to gain between 450 to 700 seats in the 
local elections, but may fail to regain the London mayoral post.