New York: A 33-year-old Indian-American engineer has announced to challenge the Democratic senator from New Jersey in 2020.Hirsh Singh, known as a supporter of President Donald Trump, will seek the Republican nomination for the US Senate in 2020 against Cory Booker, according to the New Jersey Globe news website.

Booker has not yet announced if he will run for re-election, although a new law allows him to simultaneously run for president and re-election to the Senate.

Singh, an engineer from Atlantic County who works in the aerospace and defence industries, filed his campaign committee with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday.

This will be his third bid for public office. He lost the Republican Party primaries for governor in 2017 and Congress in 2018."Booker has brought nothing to New Jersey. Having a US Senator who's not just resisting the president is critical," Singh said.

Singh is the first Republican to announce his intention to challenge Booker, who was re-elected by a 56 per cent to 42 per ent margin in 2014.

He was endorsed by Bill Palatucci, the Republican National Committeeman from New Jersey.Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson said Hirsh is bright, ambitious and extremely focused, Shore News Network reported.

"For as long as I have known him, he has been very interested in serving the community and being involved. He's capable of meeting the uphill challenge that lies ahead of him. Cory Booker is a national name with a lot of money, but Hirsh has a good understanding of what he has to do to win," Levinson said.

Somerset Chairman Al Gaburo said: "Hirsh is a good man who will bring real energy and passion to a United States Senate run. I'm glad he's putting himself forward at this critical time".  

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Thane (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for repeatedly targeting him and NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and claimed that he is eager to reclaim the PM's post instead of paving the way for the next generation.

Addressing an election rally in Thane to canvass for incumbent MP and his party candidate Rajan Vichare on Thursday, Thackeray called the contest a clash between loyalty and betrayal.

The Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has nominated Naresh Mhaske for the Thane Lok Sabha constituency, which along with 12 other seats, including six in Mumbai, will vote in the fifth phase on May 20.

The contest in Thane is a prestige battle for Shinde, an influential leader from the region who split the original Shiv Sena in 2022 and aligned with the BJP.

However, Thackeray mainly focussed on Modi and his policies. He accused Modi of stirring controversies through his rhetoric and claimed that the BJP is shifting its narratives, from pledges of securing a majority to allegations of dynasty politics.

The Sena (UBT) hit out at Modi for repeatedly targeting him and Sharad Pawar. In his recent speeches, Modi had called Thackeray's party "nakli Sena" and described Pawar as a "bhatakti aatma" (wandering soul).

Modi is eager to get back the PM's post instead of paving the way for the next generation, he claimed.

Thackeray defended the coalition model, citing its past successes and contrasting them with the perceived stagnation under single-party rule.

Thackeray said Shiv Sena and Thane share a unique bond as the city gave the party a foothold in its early days, he added.