Lok Sabha polls 2024: Former health minister Harsh Vardhan quits politics, says ‘my clinic awaits my return’

India's former health minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday (March 3) announced his decision to quit politics. A doctor by profession, Vardhan saidhis clinic awaits his return.

The development comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (Mar 2) announced its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The ruling party dropped four sitting MPs - Harsh Vardhan, Parvesh Verma, Ramesh Bidhuri and Meenakshi Lekhi in Delhi, choosing new faces.

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In a long farewell message that he shared on his official X handle, Vardhan said that he would go back to his "roots" and continue making efforts "against tobacco and substance abuse, against climate change and teaching simple and sustainable lifestyles."

"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 centre I finally bow out to return to my roots," he said.

"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 opportunity to fight our three main enemies - poverty, disease and ignorance," he added.

The former minister's post added: "Without remorse, I must say that it has been a marvelous innings during which my passion to serve the common man was quenched. I served as Delhi Health Minister as well as twice Union Health Minister, a subject close to my heart. I had the rare opportunity bestowed upon me to be able to first work towards creating a Polio free Bharat and then to take care of the health of millions of our countrymen grappling with the dreaded COVID-19 during its first and second phases".

"In the long history of mankind, only a few have been granted the privilege to defend their people in hours of gravest danger! And I can proudly claim that I didn't shirk responsibility, but welcomed it. My gratitude to Ma Bharati, my reverence to my fellow citizens and my obeisance to the values enshrined in our Constitution. And yes, that was the biggest privilege that Bhagwan Shri Ram bestowed upon me, the privilege of being able to save human lives !!,"Harsh Vardhan said.

Watch: BJP finalises its first 195 candidates from 16 states for Lok Sabha Polls 2024 | BJP Candidate List

"I would like to thank all my party karyakartas, my fans and supporters amongst the common citizens as well as my party leaders .. all of whom have contributed to this remarkable journey spanning over three decades," he wrote.

"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. The country wishes him a heroic return to power again."

"I shall continue to pursue my work against tobacco and substance abuse, against climate change and teaching simple and sustainable lifestyles. A big shout out for all those who stood by me like a rock while I clocked many firsts and led a fulfilled political life," he wrote.

"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," he said.

Jayant Sinha, Gautam Gambhir request BJP to relieve them from political duties

Earlier, BJP leader Jayant Sinha and former World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir requested the party to relieve them from political duties.

Sinha, stating that he wished to focus on efforts to combat climate change, requested party president JP Nadda to relieve him of "direct electoral duties".

Taking to his official social media handle he wrote, "I have requested Hon'ble Party President Shri @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance issues. I have had the privilege of serving the people of Bharat and Hazaribagh for the past 10 years."

Gambhir stated that he wanted to focus on his upcoming cricket commitments.

“I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!,” Gambhir wrote on his official X handle.

Some reports say that both the MPs were not very popular in their respective constituencies and the party had made it clear that the MPs who did not perform as per expectations would not be included in the list this time.

Which is why the move seems like a dignified exit for the leaders, the reports added.

(With inputs from agencies)