Celebrations half the world away for Alok

Published 10 May 2010 10:00 0 Comments

RELATIVES of Alok Sharma in India celebrated his election victory with a prayer ceremony.

The Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) reported that the celebrations were held in Kothi Meena Bazar in the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh.

It quoted his cousin, Vandana Pathak, as saying: "We are indeed proud of Alok. When Indians do well abroad, it really is a matter of great satisfaction and pride for us all."

Another cousin, Vishwanath, a deputy station master at the Raja ki Mandi railway station, told IANS: "In the slightly racial British society, it's not a joke getting a Conservative Party ticket and doing so well in the polls...getting a record swing. Though it's been a long time since Alok and family left Agra to settle in the UK, they keep visiting us. Alok last visited us in December. He is taking a lot of interest in the family's charitable hospital coming up in our ancestral village in Aligarh."

Mr Sharma has lived in the UK since 1972. Today (Monday) is his first day at Westminster, joining the 200 other newly-elected Members of Parliament.

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