Shivani Raja

Shivani Rajnikant Raja is a British Conservative Party politician. She has been the Member of Parliament for Leicester East since 2024 [United Kingdom general election|2024]. She gained the seat from Claudia Webbe.

Early life and career

Shivani was born in Rushey Mead, Leicester, to parents who arrived in the UK from India and Kenya in the 1970s. She studied at Herrick Primary School, Soar Valley College, and Wyggeston and [Queen Elizabeth I College]. She graduated from De Montfort University with a First Class Honours degree in cosmetic science. In 2017, she competed in the 2017 Miss India UK beauty pageant, where she was a semi-finalist.

Parliamentary career

In May 2024, Raja was announced as the Conservative candidate standing in Leicester East constituency. She was elected to the House of Commons in July 2024 during the 2024 general election, after receiving a plurality with 14,526 votes. Her victory was the only seat which the Conservatives gained in the 2024 election. She took the Oath of Allegiance holding the Gita.
She was appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Shadow [Equalities Office] when Kemi Badenoch took over from Rishi Sunak as Conservative Party (UK)|Leader of the Conservative Party].