Six Indian-Americans, Narain Bhatia, Sunny Chandra, Dinesh Patel, Vineeta Kumar, Hema Bhatt and Vikas Kinger have won in the highly-contested local elections for representation at Town Meeting in Lexington, Mass., on March 7.13 Indian-Americans will now be part of the 200-member Town Meeting of Lexington.
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Bhatia and Kumar were running for seats in precinct three, which had seven three-year termed seats. Bhatia claimed 250 votes, leading the eight-person race, while Kumar tallied 242 votes, in a three-way tie for third place.In precinct six, which had seven three-year termed seats and one single-year termed seat, Patel won the first spot with 376 votes, in a eight-person race.
Kinger finished eighth in a 12-person race in precinct seven, which had seven three-year termed seats and a single two-year termed seat.Chandra came in sixth in precinct eight in an 11-candidate race, earning one of the seven three-year termed seats.In precinct nine, Bhatt took the single one-year termed seat. His 190 votes were less than 10 from claiming one of the seven three-year termed seats.
Bhatia, a long-time resident of Lexington and considered as one of the pioneers of energizing Indian-Americans to run for local elections in Lexington, said that while it is exciting to have Indian-Americans to participate and win in location elections, the momentum must continue.
“This is a movement that has to continue in order to succeed,” Bhatia said, adding that this is the third consecutive election cycle where Indian-Americans have done well.
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Sanjay Padaki, a Lexington resident who has played an important role in organizing India-Americans in local elections, said that the March 7 elections were one of the most contested ones in Lexington in the recent times.
“This was also the first time an Indian-American ran for the town-wide School Committee position and came in a strong third place in a crowded seven person contest,” he said.
By Premji
