In the first list of 195 candidates declared by the BJP, Praveen Khandelwal has been fielded from Chandni Chowk, a seat which Vardhan holds at present.
Former Union Health Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday announced that he is quitting politics and would be returning to medical practice in his hometown Kanpur. To subscribe please click tau.id/2iy6f and access our live channel.
The minister’s move came after the BJP announced Praveen Khandelwal’s candidature from Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, which was represented by Harsh Vardhan in Parliament since 2014. The list of candidates announced by the BJP for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, didn’t include him.
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In a long post on X, Vardhan said he will return to his roots after over 30 years of a “glorious electoral career. Looking back at his journey, he said, “I shall continue to pursue my work 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.”
“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 the opportunity to fight our three main enemies – poverty, disease and ignorance.”
“Without remorse, I must say that it has been a marvellous 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.”
“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.”
“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 !!”
He signed off with the famous lines by Robert Frost. “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.”
In the long history of mankind, only a few have been granted the privilege to defend their people in hours of gravest danger, he said, adding that he can proudly claim that he did not shirk responsibility, but welcomed it.
