Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 4 CITY VIEWS May 22, 2026 M ore than 600 members of the Indian American community gathered May 12 at the Royal Albert Palace in Edison, New Jersey, as the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA (OFBJP-USA) hosted a victory celebration marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s electoral successes inWest Bengal, Assam and Puducherry. Organizers described the gathering as a celebration of what they called a defining moment in India’s democratic journey, highlighted by the BJP’s first- ever victory inWest Bengal, along with consecutive victories by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in Assam and Puducherry. Community lead- ers participate in the ceremonial lighting of the lamp during the Overseas Friends of BJP- USA victory celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, New Jersey. The ballroom was filled with supporters from across the tri-state area, with attendees applauding as election results and speeches were presented through- out the evening. Shri Mayank Nayak, a Member of Parliament from India, addressed the audience virtually through Zoom. Intro- duced by Shri Amar Goswami, Nayak praised the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Min- ister Amit Shah, saying the BJP’s victories were the result of years of planning and organizational work. “This is an important victory in Bengal and Assam for the sake of India’s security and integrity,” said Dr. Adapa Prasad, president of OFBJP-USA. He noted that theWest Bengal victory coincided with the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh by Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, whom he described as a son of Bengal whose vision laid the groundwork for today’s BJP. Prasad also said the BJP had made electoral gains in Kerala and expressed confidence that the party would continue to expand its presence there in future elections. Shri Vasudev Patel, general secretary of OFBJP-USA, described the outcome as “a sweet victory” and credited BJP workers and volunteers for years of grassroots efforts. “A lot of hard work has gone into this success over many years by BJP karyakar- tas on the ground,” Patel said. “Today, that hard work has been rewarded by the people of India.” Volunteers of Overseas Friends of BJP- USA gather for a group photo during the victory celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, New Jersey. Photo: Prashant Desai Several speakers during the evening expressed appreciation for the leader- ship of Modi, Shah and BJP National President Shri Nitin Nabin, credit- ing party organization and outreach efforts for the electoral outcomes. Community leaders and volunteers attend- ing the celebration included Krishna Reddy Anugula, Jayesh Patel, Charan Singh, Albert Jasani, H.R. Shah, Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Piyush Patel, Gunjan Mishra, Kalpana Shukla, Deepti Jani, Vilas Jambula, Ara- vind Patel, Amit Pandey, Anand Gupta, Santosh Reddy, Ganesh Ramak- rishnan, Pradeep Katta, Debol Gupta, Dr. Mu- kund Thakar, Ajay Gos- wami, Nilesh Dasondi, Arun Mehta, Govind Raj, Om Prakash, Arish Shah, Raj Dodamani, Kunal Joshi and Rajan Singhal. The event concluded with dinner, the serving of jhalmuri, a traditional Bengali street snack offered in recognition of the West Bengal victory, and a ceremonial cake-cutting celebration. By a StaffWriter Indian American Community Celebrates BJP Victories In West Bengal, Assam And Puducherry PHOTOS: ITV GOLD PHOTO:PRASHANT DESAI Left to right: Krishna Reddy Anugula, community leader and OFBJP-USA volunteer; Piyush Patel; Padma Shri recipient Dr. Sudhir Parikh; Albert Jasani; and Dr. Mukund Thakar address attendees during the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA victory celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, New Jersey. Community leaders participate in the ceremonial lighting of the lamp during the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA victory celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, New Jersey. Krishna Reddy Anugula, Dr. Sudhir Parikh and Haresh Shah during the victory celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, New Jersey. A section of the crowd at the victory celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, New Jersey. Volunteers of Overseas Friends of BJP-USA gather for a group photo during the victory celebration at Royal Albert Palace in Edison, New Jersey.