UK minister congratulates Modi on poll win anniversary

London, May 16: Britain's senior-most Indian-origin minister Priti Patel on Monday,(May 16) congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the second anniversary of his election victory and praised him for setting a "new level of ambition" for India-UK ties.

Patel, who sits on the UK Cabinet as Employment Minister and is also British Prime Minister David Cameron's Indian Diaspora Champion, in a statement said, "I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Modi on the second anniversary of his election victory.

He set out an ambitious vision for India –- one of inclusive, sustainable development." She said, "We remain committed to supporting the Prime Minister's vision for India's transformation and to taking the UK-India relationship to new heights."

The 44-year-old senior Conservative party MP said as the world's oldest democracy and largest democracy, the UK and India share a long-standing friendship anchored in democratic values, shared history and common interests.

"Prime Minister Modi has set a new level of ambition for our growing partnership," she said. Patel, herself of Gujarati-origin, has been a vocal supporter of Modi in the UK since he was the chief minister of Gujarat.

PTI