(Image source from: Caravan Daily)

Staying miles away in the foreign parts never stopped Indians try their best in making their most preferred leader Narendra Modi win in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections in India.

The months-long campaign for Modi ended on a happier note for the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA with the saffron party winning majority seats. On that account, the volunteer group is planning celebrations in 20 cities, according to a press release.

President of Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Pary-USA Krishna Reddy Angula in a statement to India-West said that over 1,000 volunteers from his organization participated in phone bank call-a-thons that made more than 1 million calls to people in India asking them to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The OFBJP is planning to hold victory celebrations in 20 U.S. cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Seattle,  Boston, New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Tampa, Houston, Austin, and Dallas, among others.

President Donald Trump tweeted his congratulations to Narendra Modi: “Congratulations to Prime Minister @NarendraModi and his BJP party on their BIG election victory! Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!: #DonaldTrump, President USA.”

Congratulations to Prime Minister @NarendraModi and his BJP party on their BIG election victory! Great things are in store for the US-India partnership with the return of PM Modi at the helm. I look forward to continuing our important work together!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 23, 2019

During the four months before the elections, the OFBJP held yagnas, Chowkidar Marches, Chai Pe Charchas, call-A-thons, car rallies, a flash mob dance, snowmobile rally, Ghar Ghar Modi, Sampark Abhiyan, and other programs to encourage Indian Americans to support Modi and to boost the party's image in India.

As the election trends started trickling in starting at around 11 p.m. on May 22 night (local time), the OFBJP and the U.S.-based station TV Asia began an overnight election watch in Edison, New Jersey.

About 400 Indian Americans kept vigil overnight watching the results at a community center.

The group said in a statement: "Overseas Friends of BJP-USA congratulates Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah, BJP leaders, millions of volunteers and volunteers of OFBJP and NRIs4Modi across the globe who toiled hard for this stupendous victory. Millions of voters including first-time voters have participated enthusiastically in this world’s largest democratic elections to elect an able and proven leader, Shri Narendra Modi.”

The statement added: “Indian voters have stamped their approval for continuing the all-round development with pro-poor, pro-farmer, and pro-business policies of Modi government. The voters have out rightly rejected the unholy alliance of selfish regional leaders and Congress party mostly led by dynastic families. The people have rejected divisive politics of opposition and gave a clear message that they value good leaders and good governance.”

OFBJP vice president Adapa Prasad said in a statement that the people of India have chosen a strong and incorruptible leader, Modi, and his vision of New India as they rejected divisive caste and dynastic politics of the self-indulging “Maha-Milavat” opposition.

OFBJP organizational secretary Vasudev Patel said: “These results support the policies of Shri Narendra Modi led NDA govt. Based on the experience I had on the ground as I was expecting this massive victory.”

By Sowmya Sangam