Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday announced his decision to quit politics to return to his roots (medical profession), after an illustrious electoral career spanning over three decades.
This came a day after the BJP announced its first list of candidates for Lok Sabha polls, dropping two-term MP Harsh Vardhan from Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat and naming Praveen Khandelwal as its candidate instead. In a post on X, he said he is returning to his ENT clinic at Krishna Nagar.
Sources said Vardhan was denied ticket from Chandni Chowk due to non-performance, mismanagement during Covid-19 and disconnect from locals and party karyakartas. Vardhan was replaced by Mansukh Mandaviya in mid-2021 during the height of the Covid-19 crisis. He was removed from the council of Ministers as part of a reshuffle.
“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,” his post read.
“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 added.
Vardhan said he was grateful for the opportunity to defend his fellow citizens during times of crisis. He credited his success to the support of his party workers, supporters, and leaders.
“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’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.
“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,” Vardhan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“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 !!” Vardhan added.
“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, Narendra Modi. The country wishes him a heroic return to power again.”
Looking ahead, Vardhan pledged to continue his efforts in areas such as combating tobacco and substance abuse, addressing climate change, and promoting sustainable lifestyles. He concluded with a heartfelt acknowledgement to those who stood by him throughout his political career.
“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,” Vardhan wrote.
In 2014, Vardhan had defeated Kapil Sibal, then with the Congress, to win the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat while in the 2019 polls, he trounced Congress’ Jai Prakash Agarwal.
