(Image source from: The Financial Express)

As mid-term polls are ahead in Virginia, political parties in United States, state of Virginia are trying to woo increasingly swelling number of Indian-Americans in playing a major role in deciding the election outcome.

The Indian community number has increased significantly in recent years while the voting percentage in mid-term elections is coming down. Indians can make a big impact by coming out to vote in large number and deciding the winner, said Delegate David Reid.

Mr. Reid urged Indian-American population to be politically active while seeking a re-election from the Virginia Assembly District 32.

The Indian American population in Virginia suburb of Washington, D.C. has increased in the past one decade significantly.

In 2010, the population of Indian American in Indian was more than 10,000, an increase of 112 per cent since 2000.

The neighborhoods like Ashburn in Loudon County have emerged as Little India in last few years. However, a substantial surge has been in the Indian American population.

Nearly a dozen political leaders, delegates and those running for respective elected officials this November were present at an event at Ashburn suburb of Washington, D.C. organized by Indian American Forum for Political Education (IAFPE) on Sunday.

"This is a recognition of the increasing presence of Indian Americans in Virginia," said Satish Korpe, a member of the IAFPE.

Delegate Mark Keam called for increasing the presence of Indian Americans as well Asian groups in politics, observing that Indian community has not been active or that involved in the past.

“We have to make change in the country where we live. We have to have representation,” he said. Until the community has people who represent them directly, they need to elect people who can make policies favourable for them.

A former State Department official Alison Friedman, running for Congress from Virginia, said she is inspired by the two school girls she met in a remote Bihar village where she visited in her role as an American diplomat. “First time I went outside of U.S. is India. I went to a school in Bihar where people were studying under the tree,” she said.

Bharat Bhargava, a former Bush Administration official, said that Indian Americans have come a long way and have accomplished a lot in various parts of life, but there is need to increase their presence in politics. Indian American Sant Gupta, past president of local Durga Temple, said that Indian Americans need to actively participate in the general elections.

“Make sure that your rights are secure in America. Who we are in the government, not only impacts your community, but also the entire world. If they can do it in Bihar, we can do it here,” said Ms. Friedman, who is seeking to unseat Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock from the 10th Congressional District of Virginia.

Tim Kaine, Virginia Senator, a vice-presidential candidate in 2016 who is seeking re-election in November polls sent a video message for the event praising the contributions in the country and the state by Indian Americans.

By Sowmya Sangam