saregamapa

It would be a real good feeling for Indians to have two Indian American governers. After Bobby Jindal it is time for Namrata Randhawa to be Governer of South Carolina.


Indian origin woman in race for South Carolina Governor

Daughter of a Indian Punjabi Sikh immigrant from Amritsar, Namrata "Nikki" Randhawa Haley, is another Bobby Jindal in the making.



Nikki, 37, as she is popularly known, has announced her candidacy for Republican Party nomination for the Governor of South Carolina, which will go to poll next year.




Presently, she is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.


If elected, Nikki would be the second Indian American and first women of the community to be the Governor of a State, after Bobby Jindal, who is the Governor of Louisiana.



"I know, I am going to make this happen. I am going to win the race," Nikki said in an interview at the Capitol Hill, where she attended a fund raising event in her support organised by the Indian American Republican Political Action Committee.




In little over a month of announcing her candidacy, Nikki has carved a niche for herself in the list of Republican aspirants and has already received encouraging comments from top political leaders of the State, including the South Carolina Governor, Sanford

"My parents are extremely proud. My husband is very supportive. My children are excited. My siblings are willing go out work for me," she said.


"When I started to see issues, they (parents) were the first cheer leaders to do this," she added.




When asked about the entry of Indian-Americans in US politics, she said: "I think, Indian American issues are American issues. We want to get involved earlier because we have realise that what is happening in government, will affect us and our children. I think, more young people need to get involved."




Briefing about her agenda, Nikki said her goal would be to rein in spending and to provide jobs to people in State, to try and improve education, and make health care accessible in South Carolina.



Speaking on the occasion, Tarun Patel, from Asian American Hotel Owners Association, said community is thrilled to see a second Indian American running for Governorship, after Bobby Jindal.



In 2004, Nikki was the first Indian-American Republican to win a State House seat.




She is recognised as a pro-business leader in the fight for lower taxes as well as an outspoken advocate for added accountability in the legislature.

Yea_Boii

Is she also going to change her religon like ur fav Bobby?

Punjabee in USA

^She might, and thats her personal choice. Indians are not as hung up on religion as Pakistanis are.

Slickstar

congrats.

good luck to her.

Slickstar

Haha. Bobby Jindal is a crazy christian nut.

Yea_Boii

Right. Indians are much more concerned with castes. My bad. And yes, I'm sure this "personal choice" would always be to conveniantly converting to Christianity. Any chance she becomes an athiest?

TeenDabbyWala

It's amazing how many Indians have risen to the top in such a short time (one generation).

Punjabee in USA

Yes, some people are concerned with castes but thats within the same religion. So you mentioning it here is irrelevant.

If she does, its her personal choice. Why should you & I be concerned ?

Yea_Boii

Well to your credit you atleast admit it. Some = Most BTW. Also; how is the caste system in the 21st century? Is it ok to chat online with an "untouchable"?


Yes I am concerned when politicans/ppl are willing to change even their religion/belief sets to pander to voters or to further their career aspirations.

Yea_Boii

This is more of a testament as to how wonderful the system is setup in US. There is an incredible mobility between low to high social class. If you put in hard work, MOST of time, one will ascend to the top, be it you're an Indian, Black, Red, Blue etc etc

somali_pirate

There is a fair bit of artificial and compromising assimilation involved as well...I don't think Bobby Jindal would have gone far if he hadn't converted to christianity, anglicized his name and sold out to the anti-immigrant and quasi-racist republican party...

And I think Indians have hit on a winning strategy here...democratic party which would be more in line with the liberal leaning indian-american outlook is already saturated with minorities...however, republican party is predominately white and is desparate to diversify but only selectively and this is where the indian americans fit in...this is analogous to neocons aligning with republicans, who traditionally would be averse to mostly jewish neocons and vice-versa...similarly Indians offer republican a minority face along with token heterogenous facade and the former could care less about liberal and immigrant issues as long as they get to climb the proverbial social and political ladders...Look for more indians, contrary to their ethos, jump on the republican band wagon...

TeenDabbyWala

It is, but Indians excel anywhere they go. Gulf, Africa, UK, HK, Indians have excelled.

Yea_Boii

Yes, Indians Excel. Pakis suck. TeenDhabbaWalla Happy.

Yea_Boii

You bring up an interesting point. I haven't seen a top indian in a democratic party position of power kinda like Booby Jindal. If republicans are only interested in indians due to "diversity", i there they are making a mistake. While; the Indian American community is affluent, it by no means have a voting base similar to latinos or blacks.

TeenDabbyWala

see, you brought up Pakis. I didn't say anything about Pakis in my response. No one said anything about Pakistanis before you.

underthedome

Sanford may have torpedo her quick political rise with his recent affair. She had used Sanford already to boost her credibility as he had unofficial given her his backing in the race. She's now putting some distance between the too but not having a political healthy Sanford backing her will make the road more difficult against more well known competitors.

I think she has the potential to be a major political power in the Republican party: Shes female, a minority, a true fiscal conservative with real life business ownership experience, married with 2 kids who's husband is in the national guard, born and raised in the South, from a family who came over from India & started a business in the home and turned into into a multi million dollar company. This is a homerun for the party, Republican strategists would be fools not to get her elected.

Med911

You miss the point. She cant run as who she is. She can only run as somthing she is not.
Another words, the Carolina does not respect Sikhs or Hinds enough to elect them, so she follows suite by converting, and thus in the process betrays her own culture...

If she were converting out of personal choice that one thing, but political expediency is quite another.

Punjabee in USA

As EVEN YOU have understood , Indians/Hindus/Sikhs will not elect her, so we don't care whether she converts or not. Its her choice

Med911

Again, thats because you havent got a soul . Despite your ultra rght wing Indian natonalist bs, you are strangely forgiving of someone who turns their back on their culture for the sake of winning a political post in a Western country.

You can turn your back on India, on Hinduism, Sikhism or whatever you want ism, but if it s a personal choice. By acknowledging that being a Hindu is a liability , and converting just for political puroses, the choice is no longer personal. Your now part of the same prejudice that denies people wo arent Christian from achieving a high political post.

Your literally feeding the flames of prejudice...

Punjabee in USA

Her parents migrated to the US decades ago. She was born & brought up as a US citizen. She is married to a white guy. Whether she runs as a Catholic/Hindu/Sikh, it does not affect my nationalism.

I wonder why there is a fire under YOUR backside ?