Toronto, Jul 31 (IANS): Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Party (OFBJP) has launched a Canada unit with chapters in four major cities -Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa - to connect with the Indian diaspora.

The Canada chapter of India's main opposition party was formally launched Monday by OFBJP global convener Vijay Jolly at a one day forum organized in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada under its "global community overreach programme".

OFBJP Canada shall focus on improving cultural and heritage links between the people of Canada and India, Jolly said.

OFBJP delegates from Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto attended the day long meeting at Hilton Garden Inn at Mississauga, according to a media release.

Jolly nominated the following as conveners of the four chapters: Azad K. Kaushik (Toronto), Shivendra Dwivedi (Montreal), Aditya Tawatia (Vancouver) and Shiv Bhaskar (Ottawa.)

Addressing the gathering, Jolly noted that people of Indian origin have played a significant role in development of Canada and for close Indo-Canadian friendship and understanding.

With a population of around 1.2 million in a total Canadian population of 33 million, people of Indian origin have made immense contributions in medicine, IT, commerce, sports, politics, media, social and cultural spheres.

A book titled "Social Harmony" by Narendra Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister and convenor of BJP's central election campaign committee was presented to the newly appointed OFBJP Canada convenors.