Washington: Both Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris are heavily counting on the Indian-American community in the United States as the country goes to polls on November 5.
About 5.2 million Indian-Americans are residing in the country, with approximately 2.3 million eligible to vote, a number that can have a strong impact on the election results and determine the fate of the contesting candidates.
As such both Trump and Harris have made efforts to reach out to this community. Some Indian Americans believe that the community is divided over Harris and Trump.
"There is a division within the Indian community. Some people lean toward the Republicans while others support the Democrats, each with their own set of issues," Jaypee Singh, an Indian American Citizen told PTI in Washington.
According to him, the Republicans do not seem to support religious freedom as compared to the Democrats. Some other members of the community say a significant percentage of Indian Americans has shifted their political allegiance toward the Republicans over the years, citing better policies that favour the business community.
"Mostly, business people favour Mr. Trump. One reason is his immigration policies, which focus on not bringing in illegal immigrants, benefiting local workers and potentially increasing job opportunities. They believe this will help them continue to find jobs. Many in the Indian community, as well as others, have confidence in Mr. Trump because they think that if he returns, the economy will improve. After all, he has a business background. On the other hand, Ms. Kamala Harris does not have a business background. This is an advantage for Mr. Trump in becoming president. There is a sense of blind faith in him," Indian American Sukhchand Singh said.
Mukunt Agashe, another Indian American Citizen said he too has observed that the community is shifting to Republicans in the last three decades. "I have been here for about 35 years, and I've consistently observed that people of Indian origin are gradually shifting from the Democratic side to the Republican side. Probably one of the things, Republicans are always favouring business, free economy, and lowering taxes," Agashe said.
With the US presidential election scheduled for November 5, recent poll surveys predict a tight race between Harris and Trump, particularly in the seven swing states of Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Nevada. (PTI video inputs)
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