ASH KALRA Candidate City Counil Member- Dist 2 SAN JOSE
ASH KALRA gets Top Votes 42% for Diest 2
City of San Jose
Council member
This is most interesting race,
as The NEXT person to Kalra got 20% of the Votes Ms Jackie ........
......BUT SHE ACTUALLY DROPPED OUT F THE RACE AND ENDORSED KALRA!!!
AND
The Third place Candidate with 19% Votes was RAMESHWAR SINGH ( another
Indian American!!)
So KALRA failed to get 51% of the Votes and will face a RUNOFF- AGAINST
WHOM???
ABOUT ASH KALRA
Article before th Elections by Sam Rao
San Jose, California: With every election cycle, as the Indian
American
community comes of age in the USA, more and more participation can be
seen in all fields including the political arena.
With about 210,000 Indian-Americans spread across the SF Bay area, the
numbers do not add up to field a candidate focused only on issues
pertaining to Indian-Americans. Realizing this real politik,
better qualified candidates have thrown their hats in the ring and are
stumping across all communities, canvassing for votes among peers who
share their stands.
Ash Kalra (36), a dynamic second generation attorney is one such
candidate. Kalra is running for the vacant seat of City council member
in District 2 in the city of San Jose. The elections are slated
for June 3 in the district which encompasses the Santa Teresa Blvd.,
Cottle Road area in San Jose
Kalra, 36, works as an attorney for the Santa Clara County Public
Defender's Office representing indigent clients in Drug Court. The
focus of the court is to serve those in the community suffering from
addiction and help them get back on their feet as contributing members
of society. Additionally, Kalra currently serves as the Chairperson of
the San Jose Planning Commission.
Ash moved to California with his family in 1978 and has stayed in the
same neighborhood even after he bought his own house. Kalra has taught
as a part-time professor at San Jose State University and currently is
a professor at Lincoln Law School of San Jose. Ash has served numerous
non-profit organizations as a member of their board of directors,
including the Bar Association of Santa Clara County, Asian Law
Alliance, South Asian Bar Association and Fresh Lifelines for Youth.
Ash currently serves on the Board of Directors for the African
Community Health Institute, Somos Mayfair, and the Santa Teresa
Foothills Neighborhood Association. He is also a member of the San Jose
Rotary Club, through which he volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and
works with the Santa Teresa High School Interact Club.
At a recent fundraiser for Kalra, organized by Anil Sood, long standing
resident of the SF Bay area, nearly 70 people gathered to show their
support for Kalra and raise about $4,000 for his campaign.
Supporter Amarjeet Singh of Sunnyvale said,”Ash Kalra comes across as a
dynamic, enthusiastic community leader with a clear vision of public
leadership. That is why I aim to support him and help spread his
message.”
Kalra who has lived in the area for over 30 years and attended local
schools and colleges has reached out to the entire diverse community in
his ward. He has also made it a point to make several visits to large
Indian gatherings and also has received tremendous support from the
non-Indian community as well. He has a host of endorsements including
San Jose Firefighters, San Jose Police Officers Association, The Sierra
Club, Oak Grove Educators Association, East side Teachers Association,
Santa Clara democratic party and a host of elected officials including
San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo; Kansen Chu; Forrest Williams, Nora
Campos and Nancy Pyle. San Francisco District Attorney Kamala
Harris and Balbir Dhillon, San Jose/Evergreen Community College
District Trustee have also endorsed Ash Kalra long with a host of State
level officials.
At the fundraiser hosted by Anil Sood and friends, Kalra raised about
$4,000 and, following his presentation and credentials, Kalra gathered
a lot more support and commitment including at least two more
fundraisers by community activist Mohinder Singh Mann and community
leader and attorney Ashwini Bhakri coming up in the near future.
Kalra said, “I am pleased with the outpouring of support from the
Indian-American community, who I intend to represent as well as all my
constituents in the district 2. With collective action and cooperation,
we can bring the concerns and vision of the District 2 community to
City Hall. I am proud to take the opportunity to be your voice and
humbly accept the heavy responsibilities that come with such an
undertaking.”
Supporter Amarjeet Singh added, “ Ash has a definite chance of being
elected and with a little more push and campaign support like posting
yard signs, posters and spreading the word from volunteers of any age
group, Ash Kalra should be the first Indian-American in th San Joe City
council.”
The city of San Jose, one of the earliest towns in the State of
California has an estimated population of 3 million with a wide range
of ethnicities in its constituency. The district ward represented by
Kalra encompasses areas of Santa Teresa Blvd. and Cottle Road and
parts of Branham and Snell area. The race for City council is a
non-partisan race, as candidates do not declare their political
affiliations, although endorsements can be sought from them.
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