Senior BJP leader Dr. Harsh Vardhan announces his retirement from politics

Digital desk: Former health minister and senior BJP leader Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Sunday announced his retirement from politics ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The announcement comes after the BJP announced candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, on Saturday. The BJP denied an election ticket to the two-term Member of Parliament in its list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. 

The former health minister said he will be returning to the medical profession. He said that it was at the insistence of the then-RSS leadership that he "jumped into the electoral fray".

He wrote, “After over thirty years of a glorious electoral career, during which I won all the five assemblies and two parliamentary elections that I fought with exemplary margins, and held a multitude of prestigious positions in the party organization and the governments at the state and center I finally bow out to return to my roots.” 

“Service to mankind was my motto when I joined MBBS in GSVM Medical College, Kanpur fifty years back with a desire to help the poor and needy. A swayamsewak at heart, I have always been an ardent admirer of Deen Dayal Upadhyay ji’s Antodaya philosophy of striving to serve the last man in the queue. It was at the insistence of the then-RSS leadership that I jumped into the electoral fray. They could convince me only because for me politics meant an opportunity to fight our three main enemies - poverty, disease, and ignorance.” He said.

He also added, “I move on, I really can’t wait. I have promises to keep .. and miles to go before I sleep !! I have a dream and I know your blessings shall always remain with me. My ENT clinic at Krishna Nagar too awaits my return.”

On Saturday, Gautam Gambhir announced his retirement from politics, and he has some commitments to fulfill in cricket. The BJP decided to field Pawan Khandelwal from Delhi's Chandi Chowk Lok Sabha constituency.