Sachit Mehra, an Indian-origin politician, has been declared the newly elected President of the Liberal Party of Canada by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The announcement was made in Ottawa with loud applause and cheers in support of Mehra.
In a tough competition, the 46-year-old won against Mira Ahmad, a previous president of the party. During his acceptance speech, Mehra stated that it was now time to start preparing for the upcoming election.
Mehra has urged the Liberal Party to work together to support their candidates and prove the strength of the party across Canada, while also showcasing their ability to bring forth innovative ideas.
In his speech, he emphasised the unity of the party and its commitment to supporting all members. Mehra has been tasked with setting the foundation for a potential fourth term for the Liberal Party in Ottawa’s corridors of power.
After being elected, Mehra expressed his gratitude on Twitter, calling the National Liberal Convention an incredible moment for the party and team. According to the Canadian Press, Mehra emphasised the importance of returning to communities and starting work immediately to increase the number of Liberal MPs in Ottawa.
Being president of the Liberal Party of Canada, Mehra would serve as the head of the party bureaucracy and hold a position on the national board of directors. His primary responsibilities would include ensuring the party’s election readiness, supporting fundraising efforts, and recruiting new members and volunteers.
According to Liberal strategist Anushka Kurian, a party president must focus on strengthening the party’s grassroots support and volunteer base to ensure their competitiveness in the next election. Kurian, as reported by iPOLITICS also emphasised the importance of allocating resources effectively to the right ridings to enhance the party’s strength and competitiveness.
The Liberal Party of Canada has emerged victorious in the last three general elections. The party held its three-day convention over the weekend, which included the voting process for various roles within the party brass. The results of the elections were announced on Saturday, marking the conclusion of the convention.
Mehra, who hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has family roots in New Delhi, where his father had moved to study in the 1960s. He is a businessman and his family runs the East India Restaurants Company, which operates in Winnipeg and Ottawa.
Mehra announced his candidacy for the party post in October 2022, highlighting his extensive experience in leadership roles such as chair of the Federal Liberal Agency of Canada, president of the Liberal Party of Canada (Manitoba), and President of the Young Liberals of Canada.
According to his campaign website, Mehra describes himself as a community builder, business owner, manager, father, husband, and a proud Liberal member, donor, and volunteer from the prairies for over 32 years. He has been actively involved in various philanthropic initiatives, including a fundraiser to deliver oxygenators to India during the deadly Delta wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2021.
Mehra is fluent in Hindi and Punjabi, two Indian languages that are widely spoken in Canada. As the newly elected President of the Liberal Party of Canada, he will be tasked with leading the party organisation for the upcoming 2025 Federal elections, which will take place five years after Justin Trudeau’s election victory.
As per reports, Sachit Mehra is a close friend of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and has been associated with the Liberal Party for over three decades. He played a vital role in creating the Common Minimum Programme for the coalition government led by Trudeau, whose term is set to conclude with the upcoming 2025 general elections in Canada.
Mehra’s recent election victory as President of the Liberal Party was notable as he faced stiff competition from Meera Ahmed, who has held the position in the past. Mehra will now lead the National Board of Directors of the party. Although the general elections are scheduled for 2025, election activities in various provinces across Canada are already underway.
