NRI, S. Fernandez Republican NJ state party leader for US congressional elections this November

Washington, June 2, 2004
IANS

An Indian American is all set to oppose Democratic pro-India lawmaker Frank Pallone in the US congressional elections this November.

Republican state party leader Sylvester Fernandez will fight Democratic leader Pallone, who has represented New Jersey for the past eight terms covering about 16 years in the US Congress.

Born in Quilon in Kerala, Fernandez, 55, will contest as a Republican candidate from the 6th US Congressional District in New Jersey.

According to emalayalee.com, a US-based website that caters to Kerala expatriates, Republican chairman Bill Dowd officially conferred the unanimous nomination on Fernandez to represent the Republican Party in the November elections.

Fernandez has no opposition in the primary to be held in June 2004. The 6th Congressional District has one of the largest South Asian populations in the country.

Fernandez remarked: "I guess people think it is a foregone conclusion that the outcome of this race is already decided before November 2004.

"I know I am an underdog and heavily outweighed by an overwhelmingly registered Democratic district. The odds against me are huge. Does that mean David cannot challenge Goliath?"

Fernandez was educated in Mumbai through to his graduate degree in mathematics and economics from Bombay University in 1970. He went to work in Muscat, Oman, for two years and thereafter in Saudi Arabia for nine years from 1975 till 1984. He came to the US in 1984 to pursue his masters' degree in operations management at New School University (New York City), Milan Graduate Division, from where he graduated in 1987.

He has worked with Pan American Airways, AT&T, Bell Labs and Lucent Technologies. He is married and has two children.

Fernandez was appointed a commissioner of the Prosperity New Jersey Commission for five years. He ran unsuccessfully as a Republican candidate for the 18th Legislative District of New Jersey in 2001.

Pallone on the other hand is known as a friend of India. He has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honours. He is also the founder member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.