Chivukula re-elected to NJ Assembly for sixth time

Indian-origin Assembly Deputy Speaker Upendra J Chivukula has been re-elected as a member of New Jersey general assembly for the sixth consecutive term.

The only South Asian lawmaker in the 120-member New Jersey Legislature, Chivukula was recently re-elected by more than a 60 per cent margin by voters from the state's 17th District.

Elections were held on November 8 for all 120 seats of the New Jersey legislature including the general assembly and the state Senate with each of the state's 40 districts fielding two assembly and one Senate candidate.

60-year-old Chivukula's Democratic running mates Assemblyman Joseph V Egan and state Senator Bob Smith were also returned with a wide margin of nearly 6,000 votes each against their Republican challengers.

Born in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, Chivukula migrated to the US in 1974 to pursue a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering.

Chivukula has said that he was looking forward to continuing to serve the people of New Jersey by sponsoring progressive policies and legislation that spur economic growth and create more green jobs by advancing a clean energy economy.