Kamala Harris vs JD Vance in US, but it's Tamil Nadu vs Andhra Pradesh on social media. Here's why

While the US is gearing up for the 2024 Presidential Elections in the country, the Indians are pumped up for another interesting contest.

At the Republican National Convention (RNC)’s first meeting on Monday (Jul 15), Donald Trump announced JD Vance as his running mate- a move believed to change the way US elections were supposed to happen earlier.

It’s Republican’s JD Vance vs Democrat’s Kamala Harris now for the Vice President race. As for Indians, it means something entirely different.

Indians on social media are pitting for Tamil Nadu vs Andhra Pradesh because Harris’ mother hails from Chennai and Vance’s wife Usha Chilukuri had her roots in Andhra Pradesh.

US Elections 2024: It’s Tamil Nadu vs Andhra Pradesh for Indians

Kamala Harris' India connection made headlines both in the US and India when she was chosen as Joe Biden’s running mate in the 2021 elections. This time, it's Republican VP candidate JD Vance’s wife Usha who is attracting eyeballs for being of Indian origin.

Harris’ Indian roots can be traced to the Besant Nagar neighbourhood of Chennai where her mother was born, Shyalama Gopalan. Her mother moved to the US as a teen for a doctoral degree at the University of California Berkeley. There, she met Donald J. Harris of Jamaican descent. The couple got married in 1963 and welcomed daughter Kamala in 1964, followed by daughter Maya in 1967.

Usha Chilukuri’s parents, on the other hand, used to live in Andhra Pradesh’s Chilakaluripeta before moving to the US where Usha was born. She graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts with History as her major, Deccan Chronicle reported. In 2010, she completed her M.Phil in Early Modern History from the University of Columbia and completed her JD in Law from Yale Law School in 2013.

Usha worked as a legal clerk at the US Supreme Court and is now a successful legal associate with a private law firm in San Francisco.

If Biden wins, Kamala Harris will continue her role as Vice President. If Trump and Vance prevail, Usha Chilukuri will become the Second Lady, residing at the Naval Observatory. The US presidential election is scheduled to be held on November 5.

When it comes to popularity, Kamala Harris is more popular than JD Vance, as per latest polls. According to YouGov, Harris has a 49 per cent popularity rating compared to Vance's 28 per cent. However, Harris also faces higher disapproval rates.

As the US election draws near, the cultural identities of Kamala Harris and Usha Chilukuri add a fascinating layer to the political contest.

(With inputs from agencies)