Will Canada Get Its First Indian-Origin PM? Meet Chandra Arya, Who Wants To 'Rebuild Nation' After Trudeau

Chandra Arya, an Indian-origin Canadian MP, has announced his candidacy for Liberal leadership after Justin Trudeau's resignation.

Liberal MP Chandra Arya has announced that he will run for prime minister following Justin Trudeau's resignation.

Source : X/@AryaCanada

Indian-origin Canadian Member of Parliament, Chandra Arya has announced that he will run for the Liberal leadership after Justin Trudeau left the chair of Prime Minister and Liberal Party position. 

The Liberal representative from Nepean, Arya promised to make the country "a sovereign republic", increase the retirement age, introduce a citizenship-based tax system, and recognise the state of Palestine. 

In a video statement posted on his X account, the Liberal MP 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," he said in the post. 

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.
We are facing significant structural problems that haven’t been seen for generations and solving them will require… pic.twitter.com/GJjJ1Y2oI5

— Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) January 9, 2025

Arya -- who would be the first PM of Canada of Indian descent, if elected -- said that if he is elected the leader of the Liberal Party, he will offer his knowledge and expertise to take “bold decisions that are absolutely necessary."

“Canada deserves leadership that isn’t afraid to make the big decisions. Decisions that rebuild our economy, restore hope, create equal opportunities for all Canadians, and secure prosperity for our children and grandchildren. Bold political decisions are not optional—they are necessary," he added. 

Who Is Chandra Arya?

A Trudeau loyalist, Chandra Arya is currently a member of the House of Commons. He originally hails from Dwarlu village in Sira Taluk in Karnataka's Tumkur district, according to Livemint. 

Arya completed his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Kousali Institute of Management Studies, Dharwad. He immigrated to Canada in 2006. 

He was elected MP for the first time in the 2015 federal elections and won again in the 2019 elections. 

In 2022, Arya became viral for speaking Kannada in the House of Commons and in November last year, he garnered attention for raising a saffron flag with the 'Om' symbol outside the Canadian Parliament to mark Hindu Heritage Month. 

Arya holds strong ground against the issue of Khalistan and has clashed with his Liberal caucus colleagues over his views on relations between Canada and India and the actions of Sikh separatists in the North American country.