Surrey councilor Barinder Rasode is expected to announce that she is aiming to be be first South Asian woman mayor in North America by running for Surrey’s top job.
The much anticipated announcement is expected on Sept 20 at the Surrey SFU campus.
No one from her campaign team would comment but a “save-the-date” email has all but confirmed her intentions.
Rasode left outgoing Mayor Dianne Watts mayor's Surrey First party to sit as an independent after her outspoken position on public safety concerns left her isolated within the ranks of Surrey First.
Rasode has some of the highest name recognition going into this year's municipal election.
Her primary challenge is expected from mayoral candidates Linda Hepner and former Surrey mayor Doug McCallum.
Rasode ran under the left-leaning Surrey Civic Coalition slate in the 2005 civic election. In the 2008 election, she joined Surrey First, and made history when she became the first South Asian woman elected to Surrey council.