MUMBAI: In the run up to General Election 2015, BBC Asian Network is staging The Big Asian Election Debate, which takes place in the Elgar Concert Hall, University of Birmingham and will be broadcast on the station and across various BBC Local Radio stations on Sunday 26 April between 6pm and 7pm.

Hosted by Nihal, one of BBC Asian Network’s flagship presenters, the debate gives Asian voters the opportunity to grill the panel on the issues that matter most to them. The confirmed panel features figures from five political parties:

·         Conservatives - Priti Patel

·         Labour - Shabana Mahmood

·         Liberal Democrats - Zuffar Haq

·         Green Party - Shahrar Ali

·         UKIP - Tariq Mahmood

A simulcast across the BBC Asian Network and the BBC’s 14 local stations* in England that run Asian shows, is being recorded at University of Birmingham on Friday 24 April and is scheduled to be broadcast on the evening of Sunday 26 April. In addition, the debate is being filmed and later transmitted on the BBC News Channel, also on the evening of Sunday 26 April at 8pm.

Nihal says, “On the 24 April in Birmingham I will be hosting the biggest election debate for the Asian voter. This is the first election where the Asian vote could well be instrumental in deciding who is in number 10 on the morning of the 8th May and with so many Asians still undecided, listen in to see which party deserves your vote.”

Kevin Silverton, head of news at BBC Asian Network, says: "This is a unique collaboration across the BBC's services for Britain's growing Asian population. There won't be a debate quite like this anywhere else that gives such a voice to this part of the community and digs into the issues that are important to them in this election."

BBC Local Radio stations taking part in the BBC Asian Network simulcast are:

·         BBC WM

·         BBC Radio Lancashire

·         BBC Radio Manchester

·         BBC Radio Derby

·         BBC Radio Leeds

·         BBC Three Counties Radio

·         BBC Radio Stoke

·         BBC Radio Leicester

·         BBC Radio Nottingham

·         BBC Radio Sheffield

·         BBC Radio Northampton

·         BBC London 94.9

·         BBC Radio Bristol

·         BBC Radio Gloucester