Will a British-Indian replace Rishi Sunak as leader of Opposition?

It could be a British-Indian who could succeed Rishi Sunak, the Indian-origin Conservative Party head. Priti Patel, a British-Indian and former home secretary, is expected to enter the Conservative Party leadership race to replace Sunak as the Opposition Leader in the House of Commons. Patel, a 52-year-old British-Indian member of Parliament, has been quietly assembling a campaign team and securing key MP supporters and high-profile Conservative donors.

Rishi Sunak, 44, announced his resignation as Tory leader on July 5 as the Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, secured a landslide victory.

He will serve as interim Opposition Leader until his successor is elected by the influential 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, attending the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday.

Patel, a Conservative, who retained her seat of Witham in Essex with a comfortable margin, is expected to announce her intention to enter the race by the end of next week.

PRITI PATEL KEPT LOW PROFILE, GOT TEAM TOGETHER

"Priti has kept a low profile and done her best to support others, she feels colleagues also need time to digest the general election result and don't want posturing in the media from prospective candidates," The Daily Telegraph quoted a source close to the senior Tory MP as saying.

“She has quietly put a team together, as many colleagues from different sides of the party have over the past week urged her to run and she now has key MP supporters and campaign staff in place, including some high profile Conservative donors,” the source added.

In preparation for the leadership bid, Patel has formed a campaign team funded by Tory donors, including former advisers and Conservative campaign headquarters staff, reported The Guardian.

This will be the first time the 52-year-old would be running for leadership. She's set to compete against others like former business secretary Kemi Badenoch and former security minister Tom Tugendhat, according to The Guardian.

PRITI PATEL HAS ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AS POLITICIAN

She has been the Conservative member of Parliament for Witham since May 2010.

Patel served as Secretary of State for the Home Department from July 24, 2019 – September 6, 2022, and has been the Conservative member of Parliament for Witham since May 2010.

In November 2013, she was appointed as the first-ever UK Indian Diaspora Champion by the Prime Minister.

The 1922 Committee, formerly known as the Conservative Private Members' Committee, which will set the rules for the leadership contest, has elected Bob Blackman as its new chair. The committee will finalise the guidelines for the leadership contest in the coming weeks.