The fiasco in the British parliament is expected to finally meet its end as the Conservative party members vow ‘full support’ to Rishi Sunak as the next Prime Minister of the island nation.
After the resignation of Liz Truss last week, the Tory Party was again on a quest for the next party leader and successor to the chair of UK Prime Minister.
As Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt withdrew from the race for the chair, 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.
Outgoing PM Truss who was head to head against Sunak for the chair of UK PM last month, congratulated him and said, “You have my full support.”
Congratulations @RishiSunak on being appointed as Leader of the Conservative Party and our next Prime Minister.
You have my full support.
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) October 24, 2022
Former British Prime Minister Theresa May also vowed support to Sunak. May had taken upon herself to wade the nation through Brexit during her tenure as the Prime Minister.
She wrote, “Congratulations @RishiSunak on becoming Leader of the Conservative Party. Rishi will provide the calm, competent, pragmatic leadership our country needs at this deeply challenging time. He has my full support.”
Congratulations @RishiSunak on becoming Leader of the Conservative Party.
Rishi will provide the calm, competent, pragmatic leadership our country needs at this deeply challenging time. He has my full support.
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) October 24, 2022
Reactions poured out for PM designate Sunak from around the world but the most remarkable among them came from an unlikely place. Indian political figures, and many Indian businessmen congratulated Sunak on Twitter celebrating a British PM of Indian descent.
Before the results were announced, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted, “If this does happen, I think all of us will have to acknowledge that the Brits have done something very rare in the world,to place a member of a visible minority in the most powerful office. As we Indians celebrate the ascent of @RishiSunak, let’s honestly ask: can it happen here?”
If this does happen, I think all of us will have to acknowledge that theBrits have done something very rare in the world,to place a member of a visible minority in the most powerful office. As we Indians celebrate the ascent of @RishiSunak, let's honestly ask: can it happen here? https://t.co/UrDg1Nngfv
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 24, 2022
Veteran Congress leader P. Chidambaram took this moment as an opportunity to acknowledge Sunak’s leadership as well as take a dig at the ruling party BJP.
Chidambaram tweeted, “First Kamala Harris, now Rishi Sunak… The people of the U.S. and the U.K have embraced the non-majority citizens of their countries and elected them to high office in government.. I think there is a lesson to learned by India and the parties that practise majoritarianism”
First Kamala Harris, now Rishi Sunak
The people of the U.S. and the U.K have embraced the non-majority citizens of their countries and elected them to high office in government
I think there is a lesson to learned by India and the parties that practise majoritarianism
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) October 24, 2022
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Priti Gandhi tweeted: So its confirmed. On Diwali day, @RishiSunak to make history as Britain’s first Indian origin, Hindu Prime Minister. Who would have imagined the tables would turn in just 75 years!!”
So its confirmed. On Diwali day, @RishiSunak to make history as Britain's first Indian origin, Hindu Prime Minister. Who would have imagined the tables would turn in just 75 years!! pic.twitter.com/5U4e25UgL2
— Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) October 24, 2022
Sunak, the third prime minister of the UK this year, will succeed Liz Truss, who had the shortest tenure of any prime minister in British history at just 45 days. He will be the country’s first person of colour and the 57th prime minister of the UK.