Dhruv Sengupta
About Dhruv
Dhruv spent his childhood in his constituency, living just across the Hanworth border since 2007. His life has revolved around Hounslow, and now he wants to bring it into the future - at time of selection, he was the Lib Dem's Youngest London Candidate.
Asian Voice Interview
Hounslow has always been a natural home for Dhruv. Having studied at Tiffin School, staying on the 111 route beyond his stop was daily practice on the way home - whether it was visiting friends, or going to pick up Indian groceries with his mother on High Street, he spent his childhood in the constituency he is now running for.
Dhruv officially joined the party in 2022, straight after graduating from Oxford, but refused to go the route of the typical careerist politicians. He started out helping with what he knew best - online and email communications - while prioritising his career, starting out working in tech. It was only after a year of working on the Richmond Borough Core Executive as Communications Officer, part-time to his job, that he even considered running for a seat.
From a very young age, he has recognised a difference between council support in Liberal Democrat constituencies compared to those under the control of other parties. While working across the border, he realised that the difference had become even worse. At first opportunity, he joined the Hounslow Borough Executive as an experienced Communications Officer, and is now dedicated to bringing the Liberal Democrat level of local support to the Borough where he feels at home. In December 2023, he was officially selected as the Parliamentary Candidate for the Feltham & Heston Constituency by the local party.
Local Priorities
Social Housing Support
The situation under the current council is unacceptable. There are reports of multiple households who are having to choose between a hygienic living situation and feeding their kids. Some of these households have reported waiting weeks for support from the council for pest control - This is a council issue, so if elected, Dhruv would look to implement change by presenting specific cases to the Labour-run council and threatening to bring action if the relevant funding is not allocated.
Local NHS Support
Local GP surgeries are not receiving the support they need to be able to provide for local residents. In 2023, it was reported that Heston Health Centre, which itself has 4 GP surgeries, was designated as unsuitable to deliver 21st-century primary care by the chair of the Hounslow Clinical Commissioning Group. As of June 7th 2024, with less than a month to go until the election, the last record of local authorities' plans to improve the centre are from over a year ago - although representatives met with the Integrated Care Board on 24th May 2024, they gave no update. It is vital that these plans are publicised, and if elected Dhruv will hold local authorities to account until they are.
Waste Management
It's clear from the situation on our streets that waste management is not good enough in Hounslow. We need to tackle the littering and fly-tipping culture head on with stricter fines that are actually enforced, while also holding contractors accountable on missed collections.
School Zone Management
We can't affect constituency and borough borders - but what we can do is make sure that even on the edges of our constituency, people have a choice that is based on catchment zone rather than prioritising borough-based allocations.
Police Support
Attempted robberies, especially of cars, are a monthly reality for many local residents. If elected, Dhruv will push for more community policing support as a deterrent, while also looking into re-allocating new CCTV budgets to subsidies for all residents to buy video doorbells, rather than repeats of the previous Strategic Plan which was laid out in 2017-2019.
National & International Priorities
Israel and Gaza
Demand an immediate bilateral ceasefire in Gaza, immediate termination of arms sales to Israel, and garner international support for restarting the peace process, aiming for a two-state solution. As Liberal Democrats we are clear that a lasting peace is the only way to guarantee the dignity and security which both Palestinians and Israelis deserve.
The EU
Brexit has been nothing short of a disaster for the economy and for the UK's standing on the global stage. Foster closer ties with the EU, the largest global market at our doorstep, and pave the way for potential rejoining in the future.
The Economy
Secure the UK's economic position by empowering and supporting our youth to achieve their aspirations and maximise their potential. Invest in cutting-edge technological advancements and provide top-notch technological training to our workforce, positioning the UK as a frontrunner in the modern global economy.