Denied BJP Ticket, Ex-Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Announces Retirement From Active Politics

Veteran BJP leader Harsh Vardhan announced his retirement from active politics after his name was omitted from the party's first candidate list for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections

File Photo of Veteran BJP leader and former health minister Harsh Vardhan ( Image Source :PTI )

Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and two-time Member of Parliament from Delhi's Chandni Chowk, Harsh Vardhan, has announced his retirement from active politics after his name was omitted from the party's first candidate list for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Harsh Vardhan, who served as the Union Health Minister during the COVID pandemic, announced his decision on the social media platform X.

"After over thirty years of a glorious electoral career, during which I won all the five assembly and two parliamentary elections that I fought with exemplary margins... I finally bow out to return to my roots," Harsh Vardhan wrote.

Reflecting on his journey, Harsh Vardhan highlighted his commitment to serving the people, stating, "Service to mankind was my motto... 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."

After over thirty years of a glorious electoral career, during which I won all the five assembly and two parliamentary elections that I fought with exemplary margins, and held a multitude of prestigious positions in the party organisation and the governments at the state and…

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) March 3, 2024

Acknowledging the RSS's role in his political career, Harsh Vardhan mentioned, "It was at the insistence of the then RSS leadership that I jumped into the electoral fray."

Expressing gratitude towards his party colleagues and supporters, he said, "I would like to thank all my party karyakartas, my fans and supporters amongst the common citizens as well as my party leaders... I must acknowledge that I consider it a great privilege to have worked closely with the most dynamic Prime Minister in India’s history, Shri Narendra Modi ji."

BJP Nominates Praveen Khandelwal For Chandni Chowk Seat

 Praveen Khandelwal, the secretary of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), has been named as the BJP candidate for the Chandni Chowk constituency in the forthcoming elections. The BJP is expected to announce its candidates for East Delhi and North West Delhi in the second list of nominees, as per news agency PTI.

Harsh Vardhan is a two-time MP and has served as Cabinet Minister in various portfolios including Health and Family Welfare, Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Previously held the position of Minister of Health, Education, Law and Justice, and Legislative Affairs in the Delhi Government during his five-time tenure as MLA (1993-1998).