Ami Bera re-elected to Congress

By Arul Louis

New York, Nov 9 (IANS) Ami Bera, the only Indian American in Congress, has been re-elected to the House of Representatives where he will be joined by three others in the new session in January.

The California Democrat successfully overcame the problem created by his over-enthusiastic father who illegally transferred funds to his election campaign. Babulal Bera, 83, was convicted of election funding fraud and sentenced to a year in prison earlier this year.

Although prosecutors cleared Ami Bera personally of any involvement in the crime, his Republican rival Scott Jones made an issue of it. But Bera won the election with a two percent lead, down from the eight percent lead he had in the in the primary.

Bera was first elected from his constituency, includes a part of California's state capital San Diego, in 2012 and re-elected in 2014. President Barack Obama endorsed him. He also received the support of several trade unions.

He is the co-chair of the India Caucus in Congress, which brings together legislators interested in India. He accompanied Obama during his visit to India in 2015 and was one of the Congressmen who facilitated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to Congress this year.

Bera, 51, is a doctor and a convert from Hinduism to the Unitarian faith.

The three newly-elected Indian Americans who will join him are Pramila Jayapal from Washington State, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois and fellow Californian Ro Khanna.