By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : In a boost to the electoral prospects of Tony Lit, Indian-origin Conservative candidate in a greater London by-election, five local Labour Party councillors – also ethnic Indians – Monday defected and joined the Conservative Party.
Tony Lit, 34-year-old managing director of Sunrise Radio, Britain's largest privately-owned Asian radio station, is contesting the by-election to Ealing-Southall constituency, home to a large population of South Asian immigrants.
His chances in the July 19-contest brightened after the defection by the five Labour councillors – Gurcharan Singh, Manjit Singh, Maninder Kaur Keith, Jarnail Singh Jandu and Jagdish Gupta.
A sixth independent candidate, Gulbash Singh, had previously joined Lit's campaign and pledged support to the Conservatives.
Lit's selection as Conservative candidate is part of party leader David Cameron's efforts to bring in more ethnic minority candidates.
Visiting the constituency Monday, Cameron said: "I'm delighted to announce that five Labour Councillors in Ealing and Southall have come over and joined the Conservative Party and are giving support to our candidate, Tony Lit, who I think everyone now accepts would be the best Member of Parliament for Ealing Southall."
Lit is bidding to win from a constituency that many consider to be a Labour stronghold. It was represented for nearly 15 years by another ethnic Punjabi – strong India supporter and ex-communist Pyara Singh Khabra, who died June 19.