MANGALURU: The Jukaku family, which has roots in Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district, is in a celebratory mood following Abdul El-Sayed’s historic victory in the closely watched US Senate race in Michigan.El-Sayed, a doctor, defeated Republican Mike Rogers to become the first Muslim elected to US Senate.The victory sparked celebrations in his in-law’s family back in Bhatkal from where his wife Dr Sarah Jukaku traces her roots.Sarah is the granddaughter of Jukaku Shamshuddin, who served as deputy minister for finance in the erstwhile Mysore State govt under chief minister BD Jatti.According to Sarah’s cousin, the family has been receiving congratulatory messages from people of Bhatkal.“It was a close fight marked by considerable hate and divisiveness, but the negative propaganda did not work. People stood united, and that is a big lesson and offers a new hope for India,” he said.“Sarah stood firmly by her husband as a pillar of support, and the couple worked tirelessly over the past 18 months. It was not an easy journey. However, El-Sayed stood his ground with honesty and conviction. The small donations and support he received also played a crucial role,” the cousin added.Several family members settled in the US travelled to Michigan to be part of the celebrations.The family’s WhatsApp group remained active throughout the night tracking the developments closely.
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