How Palestine could cost the B.C. NDP an election win?

Independent votes may have changed the fate of Surrey-City Centre and Surrey-Guildford.
By: Saeed Naguib
Nearly two million voters in British Columbia cast their ballots this past Saturday, and the outcome has yet to be decided. Palestine is part of the reason why.
With a few ridings too close to call, all three outcomes for BC.’s government are still possible: a B.C. NDP-B.C. Green coalition (most likely), a B.C. Conservative majority (less likely), and a B.C. NDP majority (least likely). The most contested ridings, including Surrey City Centre, are awaiting a recount of ballots already cast. The final count of mail-in ballots here and in Surrey-Guildford could potentially shift the political landscape of the province.
The current situation reflects a pivotal moment, particularly in Surrey, where the B.C. Conservatives made significant inroads. If the B.C. Conservatives win Surrey City Centre and the Juan de Fuca-Malahat ridings (the two ridings undergoing automatic recounts this weekend), they could form a majority government.
The shift in Surrey: A Conservative upset
For years, Surrey has been a stronghold for the B.C. NDP, but the 2024 election has marked a significant swing towards the B.C. Conservatives. Honveer Singh Randhawa’s narrow victory over Garry Begg in Surrey-Guildford by just 103 votes is emblematic of this shift. Similarly, in Surrey City Centre, the race between the NDP’s Amna Shah and Conservative candidate Zeeshan Wahla has come down to just 95 votes, triggering an automatic recount.
This shift away from the B.C. NDP in Surrey suggests that the B.C. Conservatives have successfully capitalized on voter dissatisfaction regarding issues like housing affordability, education, and health care.
However, an overlooked factor in the election is the impact of the Palestinian issue and how it played out in Surrey’s large Muslim community…Source:dawn.com/news