‘P. Sarojin’
NEW YORK, USA (CWBN)_ The Indian-origin millionaire businessman Shri Thanedar from the Democratic party has been elected to the House of Representatives in Michigan. He won from the 3rd district of Michigan with 93 per cent of total votes.
The 65-year-old businessman is also a scientist and ran for Governor two years ago. Thanedar raised a record-breaking sum of USD 438,620 out of his own wealth in the state House primary upon six other opponents of the Democratic party.
The former gubernatorial hopeful lost his 2018 primary, but won most of the votes in Detroit. After losing the 2018 primary, he shifted from Ann Arbor to Detroit, where he cashed in on his high name familiarity. Two years ago, his campaign featured a high dose of “Shri for We” TV ads.
In the 2018 gubernatorial primary, Thanedar spent nearly USD 10 million from his own fortune to finish third behind Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Abdul El Sayed, but he won most of the votes in Detroit.
Thanedar is an Indian-origin from Karnataka’s Belgaum. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in chemistry when he was 18 and then got his master’s degree from University of Bombay. Thereafter, in 1979, he migrated to the US to continue his higher studies at University of Akron and later he pursued his studies at University of Michigan.
Thanedar spoke to the media in a recent interview and said that he began his campaign in the last fall prior to the pandemic and that he spent his time during the outbreak donating masks, hand sanitizers and door knockers. He also said that he is planning to sort out a number of challenges that are plaguing his district such as blight, water shutoffs, foreclosures, crime and unemployment.
Thanedar referred to his upbringing in India and said that he knows the pain of poverty. He said “I’m seeing people have no hope. Conditions are really bad and nothing has changed in years. People are disenfranchised. I’ve slept and ate on the floor, with no running water”, and added “I understand the pain of poverty”.
Edited by Elishya Perera
