London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Rishi Sunak who on Monday won the race to be the leader of the Conservative Party and will become Britain’s next prime minister — the third this year, and the youngest in the last 200 years.
Modi in a tweet said that he looked forward to working closely together on global issues and implementing Roadmap 2030. "Warmest congratulations @RishiSunak! As you become UK PM, I look forward to working closely together on global issues, and implementing Roadmap 2030. Special Diwali wishes to the 'living bridge' of UK Indians, as we transform our historic ties into a modern partnership," the PM tweeted.
Sunak who is of Indian origin will be Britain’s first leader of colour and faces the task of stabilizing the party and country at a time of economic and political turbulence. His only rival, Penny Mordaunt, conceded and withdrew.
Also read: Here is how Rishi Sunak wants to change India-UK relationship
Here are 10 points in this big story:
- As the leader of the governing party, Sunak will take over as prime minister from Liz Truss, who quit last week after 45 tumultuous days in office. Sunak had been the strong favourite as the governing Conservative Party sought stability at a time of immense economic challenges and after months of chaos that consumed the past two leaders.
- The 42-year-old former chancellor, a devout Hindu, was comfortably in the lead on Monday, having secured the public backing of over half the 357 Tory MPs way above the 100 minimum required to make the shortlist.
- In time for the 2 p.m. local time Monday deadline, Sir Graham Brady, chair of the influential 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, announced in the Parliament complex that he had received only one nomination and therefore Sunak is the winner of the leadership contest.
- This means Sunak is poised to walk through the door of 10 Downing Street in London after an audience with King Charles III in Buckingham Palace, the timeframe of which will become known soon. He will also be the youngest British Prime Minister in modern history. The current record-holder is David Cameron, who was 43 when he became Prime Minister.
- Earlier, high-profile Tory MPs switched allegiance from Johnson to Sunak, including former Home Secretary Priti Patel and cabinet ministers James Cleverly and Nadhim Zahawi. Patel, the Indian-origin former minister who resigned from the Cabinet when Liz Truss was elected the Prime Minister last month, said the Tories must put political differences aside to give Sunak the best chance of succeeding as the new leader.
- Sunak's victory marks a remarkable turnaround in political fortunes for the former finance minister, who lost out to outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss just last month after his popularity among party colleagues did not translate in the wider Tory membership vote.
- Truss on Thursday announced her resignation as the Prime Minister after just 45 days in office, following an open revolt against her leadership in the Conservative Party.
- The UK-born son of Indian-origin general practitioner father Yashvir and pharmacist mother Usha had spoken extensively of his migrant roots during the last campaign and also referenced making history by lighting Diwali diyas at 11 Downing Street as the first Indian-origin Chancellor of the Exchequer.
- "Sixty years after my Naniji boarded a plane in East Africa (Kenya), on a warm sunny evening in October, her great-grandaughters, my kids, played in the street outside our home, painted Rangoli on the doorstep, lit sparklers and diyas; had fun like so many other families on Diwali. Except the street was Downing Street, and the door was the door to No. 11, said Sunak, in his campaign video a few months ago.
- That personal story also extended to a visibly emotional reference to his parents-in-law Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy as he hit back at attacks on his wife Akshata Murthy's family wealth.
