Joe Biden wonders if he can run for office in India

MUMBAI: US Vice President Joe Biden wonders if he can run for office in India.

Speaking today at the stock exchange here, Biden went "off script" to talk about a letter he received from an Indian namesake shortly after his election to the US Senate in 1972 claiming they were related.

Stating that it was an honour to be back in India and to be here in Mumbai, he talked about one of the first letters he had received which he regretted having not followed up.

"Maybe some genealogist in audience can follow up for me, but I received a letter from a gentleman named Biden -- Biden, my name -- from Mumbai, asserting that we were related," he said to laughter.

"Seriously. Suggesting that our mutual, great, great, great, something or other worked for the East India Trading Company back in the 1700s and came to Mumbai," he said.

"And so I was thinking about it, if that's true, I might run here in India for office. I might be qualified," he said leaving the audience in splits.

"But I've never followed up on it. But now that I'm back for the multiple times, I'm going to follow up to find out whether there is a Biden and whether we're related. I hope he's in good standing if we are," he added.

He also said once he is back in Delaware, he will brag about his visit to Indian-American community.

"We have a very significant and tight Indian-American community -- any weekend in Delaware, you can find the Delaware United Cricket Club competing.

"And now I have bragging rights. I will be able to go back and tell my friends who belong to that club that I visited the home of the best cricket team in the world," he said.