Washington [US], November 7 : Industrialist Shalabh "Shalli" Kumar, founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition, expressed elation over President Designate Donald Trump's significant victory in the 2024 US Presidential election.
In his remarks to ANI, Kumar highlighted the strength of Trump's support, particularly among Hindu Americans, stating, "Our party is most elated about the fact that the victory was not just a thousand votes. The victory was hundreds of thousands of votes in every place."
President Designate Donald Trump's return to the White House came after a polarising campaign that focused on issues such as the economy, immigration, and law enforcement, resonating with working-class voters. His win marked a historical comeback, as Trump became only the second US president to regain office after a prior defeat.
Trump's successful campaign fuelled widespread dissatisfaction with Washington and a sense of urgency about the country's future direction, Politico reported.
Kumar attributed Trump's success in part to a focused last-minute campaign targeting Hindu American voters, specifically in key battleground states. "It was our goal to at least switch over 200,000 Hindu votes from Kamala to Trump in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and that's what happened," he said.
Kumar credited the momentum to a critical tweet on Diwali, which, he noted, "changed everything" and enabled a targeted media push. "We were successful in educating the Hindu Americans about who Kamala really is. She is only half Hindu... and she's friendly towards [leftist ideologies]," he added, stressing his belief that Harris's political philosophy was "very much to the left."
Kumar highlighted the coalition's efforts, describing a five-day media blitz of 900 commercials aimed at informing Hindu Americans of their stance, saying, "We also brought out the fact that she is a Marxist... and a communist sympathiser."
In his view, this strategic outreach significantly bolstered Trump's support among Hindu American voters, contributing to what he called a "great victory" for the Republican Party.