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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 5 CITY VIEWS June 20, 2025 Joshi Dominates Edison Mayoral Primary Amid Split Indian-American Field M ayor Sam Joshi has emerged as the clear Democratic nominee for a second term, winning a wide margin over two challeng- ers in Edison’s June 10 primary election. The results reinforce his strong position in township politics — even as the influential Indian-American voter base showed signs of internal division. Joshi received 8,717 votes, outpacing businessman Lav Patel, who earned 2,245 votes, and Councilman Richard Brescher, who received 1,893. Although two of the three Democratic candidates, Sam Joshi and Lav Patel, are of Indian-American heritage, the race revealed differing loyalties and rival party factions within that community. Patel’s campaign aligned with a group historical- ly opposed to Joshi’s allies, yet the mayor’s support proved broad and durable across voting blocs. “Thank you, everything we do is for the residents of Edison. On to the general election in November. Note these are not the final results and our margin is grow- ing,” Joshi wrote in a Facebook post late Tuesday, also sharing an image of the vote tally. Joshi’s endorsed slate for township council — Biral Patel, Kelli Dima, and Robert Kentos — also performed strongly, each earning just under 7,000 votes. Op- posing candidates Jayesh Mehta, Ingrid Chen, and Anthony DeAmorin finished far behind. Former council president Joyce Ship-Freeman, running independently, placed seventh overall. Looking ahead to the general election in November, Joshi will face Republican challenger Gloria Dittman, a former presi- dent of the Edison Arts Society, as well as independent candidate David Tingle, who is running under the “People’s Choice 2025” banner. On the council side, Republican nominees Russell Azzarello, Kartik Nath, and Samiksha Sharma will appear on the ballot, alongside independent Elizabeth Conway, another member of the “People’s Choice” slate. Joshi’s political rise gained momentum during a period of internal Democratic conflict in Edison. His 2021 primary vic- tory over then-local party chairman Mahesh Bhagia reshaped party dynamics and helped solidify county-level support for his administration. With a consolidated Democratic base and a united council slate, the mayor now heads into the fall campaign with a strong advantage, though independent challeng- ers could reshape the electoral dynamics in unpredictable ways. The general election will take place on Tuesday, November 4, alongside races for governor, county officials, and state legis- lators in the 18th District. By Ilayas Quraishi PHOTO:courtesy:Sam Joshi PHOTOS:NitinVyas Edison Mayor Sam Joshi International Yoga Day being celebrated June 14, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel in Edison, hosted jointly by the Indo American Cultural Association of Edison and the Indian Consulate in New York. Organizers and special guests at the International Yoga Day celebrations in Edison, NJ, June 14, 2025. Yoga Day Celebration Held By Indo American Group In Edison T he Indo American Cultural Asso- ciation of Edison, in collaboration with the Consulate of India in NewYork, hosted an International Yoga Day event on June 14, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel in Edison. Supported by numerous leading com- munity organizations, the event attracted more than 300 yoga enthusiasts despite inclement, who participated in sessions led by distinguished yoga instructors, a press release from IACA-Edison. Nitin Vyas, leader of IACA-Edison, welcomed the gathering. India’s Deputy Consul General in NY Vishal Harsh inau- gurated the event with a ceremonial lamp lighting, emphasizing yoga’s vital role in fostering holistic health and well-being. Participants engaged in yoga sessions led by certified yoga experts, including: 1. Guru Dileepji — Inspirational Talk 2. Mark Becker — Insightful Talk 3. Poonam Gupta — Laughter Yoga 4. Radhikaji —Dance Yoga (Ananda Marg) 5. Priti Ji — Functional Yoga (The Yoga Lotus) 6. Geeta Ji — Physical Yoga (Radian- tRays Yoga) 7. Radhikaji — Physical Yoga (Devi- sYogaFlow) 8. Vijay Trivedi — Siddha Samadhi Yoga (Meditation) 9. Nidhi Ji — Pranayama (IFM Group) 10. Raj Kumar Gupta Ji —Dharna (Vi- hangamYog) 11. Suniti Ramanujam—Meditation (Isha Foundation) Distinguished guests who attended the event included, Krishnakant Sangani, H.K. Shah, Mukund Thakkar, Uma Swamina- than, Hemant Patel, Suchitra Kamath, Jas- si Singh, Bipin Parekh, Subhash Shah, Ajay Gandhi, Dr, Gunjan Shukla , Dr, Mukesh Solanki, MaheshWani, Nalin Shah, Mehul Shah of the Indo American organization, and Pravin Patel, Mukund Parikh, and Amin Saab of Edison Seniors. Attendees enjoyed a nutritious vegan lunch, and VIP guests were also treated to a special breakfast, underscoring the event’s focus on health and wellness. The event was hosted by Rajshree Kotekar from the Isha Foundation and Vi- jay Ji (no last name given) fromVihangam Yoga. It was organized and coordinated by Nitin Vyas. Volunteers who gave of their time included Naresh Shah, Manish Parikh, Nina Vyas, Raju, and Haresh Bhai, as well as teams from the Isha Foundation and VihangamYoga. All played a crucial role in ensuring the success of the day’s program, the press release said. By a StaffWriter Deputy Consul General Vishal Harsh addresses the audience during the International Yoga Day celebration.