British MP Marco Longhi, Who Invoked Kashmir’s Independence, Slammed Hindus For Political Gain, Loses To Labour Party's Sonia Kumar

The general elections in the United Kingdom saw the rise of the Labour Party as the voters ended the 14-year-old rule of Tory's/Conservatives to which Rishi Sunak belonged. While the Labour Party secured a decisive mandate, a record number of around 28 Indian-origin members of Parliament have been elected to the House of Commons. One of them is Sonia Kumar of the Labour Party who defeated anti-Hindu and anti-India Conservative candidate Marco Longhi.

Longhi tried to woo the Muslim voters when he wrote a letter to them and Pakistani Muslims criticising Hindus, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi while invoking the independence of Kashmir. In his poll campaign letter, Longhi also named Sonia Kumar. Sonia Kumar had termed the letter 'divisive', disappointing and shocking. In a letter addressed to the British Pakistani/Kashmiri community in Dudley, Longhi said, "Will it be me, or Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate Sonia KUMAR?"

In his letter, Longhi wrote, "Narendra Modi made it clear recently that he is going for a full statehood for Kashmir which would mean full removal of any sovereign rights of the Kashmiris and their special status....My involvement is well publicised and I have participated in several Kashmir events. I have always condemned India’s continuous illegal actions in Kashmir.”

However, Longhi, who tried to win the polls by polarising Muslim votes faced defeat and will now have to see Sonia Kumar representing Dudley in the House of Commons. 

Who Is Sonia Kumar?

Sonia Kumar is a Sikh and works as a physiotherapist in Britain's NHS. Kumar grew up in a working-class family, with her parents working seven days a week to provide for their children.