Kottayam (Kerala), One of the approximately 26 Members of Parliament of Indian origin elected to the House of Commons in the UK general election is a Malayali who hails from this southern district of the state.

Sojan Joseph (49), a resident of Kapuzha, a small village in Kerala's Kottayam district, won from Ashford constituency in Kent County, which was earlier held by the Conservative Party.

Joseph, who contested the constituency as a Labor Party candidate, has lived in Britain since 2002.

Her father, KT Joseph, her three sisters and other relatives who had gathered at the family home here were overjoyed to hear about her win.

"I am very happy. A Malayali went there and won. He calls home every day," the proud father told the media on Friday.

His sisters told that Sojan had called home after the victory.

One of them said, "He has been there for 22 years. Ever since we came to know that he was contesting, we all were praying for his victory."

Another relative said that Sojan joined the Labor Party because he had socialist ideals.

His mother Elikutty had passed away three months ago and he had then gone to Kerala.

Sojan moved to Britain in 2001 after completing his nursing studies from Bengaluru.

His family said he had been working in the public sector there since 2002.

He has a wife and three children.