Bill Sarai (l) and Kamal Grewal (r) are the two publicly declared candidates for the BC NDP nomination in Kamloops Centre (Image credit: CFJC Today/File).

By Aaron Schulze

Kamloops Centre NDP

Grewal approved, Sarai still in vetting process as Kamloops Centre NDP hopes to hold nomination meeting soon

Jun 7, 2024 | 9:18 AM

KAMLOOPS — Two Kamloops residents have publicly declared their intentions to run for the BC New Democratic Party (NDP) nomination in the newly formed Kamloops Centre electoral district.

However, only one candidate – Kamal Grewal – has been approved.

Speaking to CFJC Today, Kamloops Centre BC NDP President Tom Friedman says Kamloops Councillor Bill Sarai’s application is still going through the vetting process. Although he clarifies there’s no difference between Grewal’s and Sarai’s cases, and the former getting approval by the provincial NDP is a matter of timing.

“Both individuals submitted quite a lengthy application form to the provincial NDP. There’s a team working in Vancouver to vet their applications,” Friedman says. “We want to make sure there’s nothing in either of their backgrounds that may potentially embarrass the party. Other political parties have had to drop their candidates because of unfortunate situations, especially regarding social media.”

Once all potential candidates are approved, the Kamloops Centre BC NDP can hold a formal nomination meeting where local party members can elect their candidate for the B.C. general election on Oct. 19, 2024. Friedman expects the provincial NDP to finish its approval process “fairly quickly,” and the Kamloops Centre will hold a nomination meeting within the next month.

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BC NDP party members within Kamloops Centre are expected to have at least two candidates to choose from: Grewal and Sarai. However, Friedman says there’s still time for more options to emerge.

“I was approached by at least two other individuals, who I won’t be naming, who said they may be interested,” Friedman says. “They still have time to put in an application, but I have no knowledge of whether they’ve done so or not.”

The winner of the BC NDP nomination race in Kamloops Centre will join candidates Peter Milobar with BC United (incumbent MLA in Kamloops-North Thompson), Dennis Giesbrecht with the Conservative Party of British Columbia and Randy Sunderman of the Greens of British Columbia ahead of October’s provincial election.