ISTANBUL

Though thousands of miles away, the residents of a small village Thulasendrapuram in Tamil Nadu, southern India, gathered to pray for the victory of US Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday's election.

This village is where her maternal grandfather was born, and although Kamala Harris has never visited and has no immediate family remaining there, the villagers feel a deep connection to her, according to a report by Newsweek on Tuesday.

"Her victory will be our victory. If our prayers reach God, she will triumph," stated M. Natarajan, a temple priest in the village.

Harris' Indian roots

Harris's grandfather, Gopalan Gopalan, left the village for the city of Chennai, where he worked as a senior government official.

His daughter, Shyamala Gopalan, later moved to the US for higher education, where she eventually married and gave birth to Kamala.

The US vice president is a prominent figure in the village, with her image displayed on billboards and banners throughout the area.

"Our village ancestors' granddaughter is running for US president. This is a great honor," added Natarajan.

On Tuesday, Americans are voting not only for the future of the American presidency, but also for Congress, a number of states, and local governments.

Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are the seven key battlegrounds or swing states in the 2024 election.

Harris and Trump have each spent significant time campaigning in the states with the understanding that anyone could potentially decide the election.