Indian-American announces bid for Texas county commissioner
Darpan News Desk IANS, 01 Jun, 2023 11:15 AM
New York, June 1 (IANS) Indian-American Taral Patel, a former Biden-Harris presidential appointee, has announced his candidacy to serve as Fort Bend County Commissioner for Precinct 3 in Texas.
Patel, a 29-year-old former chief of staff to Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George, will run as a Democrat for the seat held by longtime Republican Commissioner Andy Meyers.
"Today, I'm announcing my campaign for Fort Bend County Commissioner. Together, we can push past the divisive politics that we see in the news -- and build a stronger, diverse, & more united Fort Bend," Patel tweeted along with a campaign video showing him driving around the precinct and interacting with residents.
Born to Indian immigrants who came to the US in the 1980's, Patel was appointed by President Joe Biden in 2021 to serve in his administration as a Liaison for the White House.
He has also served as a Law Clerk for the Department of Justice Criminal Division in the Public Integrity Section fighting corruption, bribery, and other crimes at all levels.
"I'm running for commissioner to fix potholes in 24 hours; expand healthcare; keep kids safe; give first responders a raise; help families with child care; fight for reproductive freedom; lower property taxes; bring good paying clean energy jobs and unite our diverse community," Patel wrote on Twitter
.According to his campaign statement, through his varied roles, he has built strong relationships in almost every state in the US, and with many international partners to leverage key industries, governmental decision makers, and essential stakeholders to deliver positive results for all involved.
He helped lead Fort Bend County successfully through numerous flooding incidents, the Covid-19 pandemic, Winter Storm Uri, electric grid failure, droughts, and other major emergencies, the statement added.
Mostly growing up in Fort Bend, Patel attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he received a B.A. in government in 2016.
He was also a key member of the White House Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (WHAANHPI) Committee.
The Democratic primary election is scheduled for March 5, 2024.
Balbir Mahay, who came to the US in 1999, was there when the tragedy struck the Sikh temple nearly 11 years ago to support members of the Sikh community. Mahay is also a member of the gurdwara, and "that connection was especially helpful during the mass shooting at the temple", WISN TV reported.
Tarikjot Singh was accused of abducting Jasmeen Kaur, 21, and killing her, before dumping her body in a shallow grave in Flinders Ranges, 430 km from Adelaide, where she was last seen.
The bill would designate Diwali as a state commemorative period and will allow the sale and discharge of fireworks during the five days of Diwali, which is usually between late October and early November.
Mahankali Akhil Sai, 25, from Khammam district lost his life in the incident that occurred at Auburn in Alabama state on Monday night (local time). Sai had gone to the US about 13 months ago and was studying MS at Auburn University. He was also doing a part-time job at a nearby gas station.
According to police, Patel was not in a crosswalk, and surveillance footage showed eastbound traffic had a green light at the time. The Patel family has decided to donate Patel's kidneys following his death.
The resolution, which was passed last week, appreciated the Sikhs for their humanitarian services, despite receiving hate and facing oppression for their faith worldwide. In December, Utah became the 15th state in the US to include information about Sikhism, Sikh practices, and traditions in their schools' social studies syllabi.
