BJP, Cong launch Lok Sabha polls campaign in UK with rival car rallies

India's general election fever rolled into the UK on Saturday, with the overseas units of rivals BJP and Congress organising separate car rallies to garner support from the sizeable Indian diaspora in the country.

The Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), the BJP's overseas unit, flagged off its campaign with European racing champion Advait Deodhar being part of the rally, in which hundreds of cars took to the streets of London, Birmingham, Leicester, Manchester, Edinburgh and Newcastle.

The rival Congress' overseas unit, Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) UK, launched its rally from west London to cover Birmingham, Coventry and Slough before assembling back in south-west London.

OFBJP President Kuldeep Shekhawat said: "There are around 10,000 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in the UK who are actively or passively participating in this world's biggest dance of democracy, the Indian general election 2019".

"The central message is consistent worldwide to support 'Team Modi' for a clean sweep in the