'Never expected he will run for Canadian Prime Ministership,' says Indian-origin MP Chandra Arya's father

The father of

Indian-origin MP

Chandra Arya said he never expected his son to run for the position of

Prime Minister of Canada

following Justin Trudeau's resignation.
K Govindaiah told news agency PTI that neither they nor Arya had anticipated this move. He also recalled that his father-in-law had once predicted Arya would become a great politician, a prediction now being fulfilled.
"We never expected, and he too never expected, that he will run for Prime Ministership. My father-in-law said he will become a great politician, and it is coming true," he said.

Arya, the MP from Nepean, Ottawa, was born in Karnataka.
Srinivasa Govindaiah, Chandra Arya's brother, said that Arya was the only person to have been elected as an MP within a short period of arriving in Canada. He also revealed that Arya was the first from their family to go to Canada without any contacts. Even after being elected for the first time, there was an anti-government wave, so Arya began working for his constituency from the very next day, as per Srinivasa.
"...he is the only person to have been elected as an MP, within a short period of entering Canada. There are many Indian-origin MPs who are settled there for generations. But he was the first person from our family to go there, and he did not have any contacts over there. He worked honestly... Even after getting elected for the first time, there was an anti-government wave happening there. So from the next day, he started working for the constituency. He was never doing any other business apart from politics at that time. Whatever job was assigned to him, as a Member of Parliament, he used to do," he told PTI.

Arya's announcement of candidacy

Chandra Arya recently announced his candidacy for the Liberal leadership following Justin Trudeau's resignation as Canadian Prime Minister and leader of the

Liberal Party

. Arya, who represents the riding of Nepean in Ottawa, made the announcement via social media platform X.
In his campaign pledge, Arya said, "I am running to be the next Prime Minister of Canada to lead a small, more efficient government to rebuild our nation and secure prosperity for future generations." His platform includes transforming Canada into a sovereign republic, raising the retirement age, implementing a citizenship-based taxation system, and recognizing Palestine's statehood.

Arya stressed the struggles faced by many Canadians, particularly younger people, with affordability and the challenges encountered by the working middle class. He emphasized the need for leadership that is unafraid to make significant decisions to rebuild the economy, restore hope, create equal opportunities, and secure prosperity for future generations.

Past stance on key issues

Arya's positions have not always aligned with government policies. In 2023, he supported a petition urging the Liberals to review their proposed foreign agent registry plans following reports of foreign interference in

Canadian politics

. Although the registry legislation was approved, its implementation is still pending.
As an advocate for Hindu Canadian interests, Arya has had disagreements with fellow parliamentarians, including NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and Liberal colleague Sukh Dhaliwal, regarding Ottawa-New Delhi relations and the activities of Sikh separatists in Canada.
During a personal visit to India last year, Arya met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Global Affairs Canada clarified that Arya's journey was on his own initiative and did not represent the government of Canada.
Arya also opposed a motion seeking to categorize the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as genocide, claiming to be the sole MP present in the House of Commons who prevented its passage through opposition.