After Swaraj, Uma Bharti opts out of 2019 Lok Sabha electoral race

“I am not taking ‘sanyas’ (from politics). ‘Sanyas’ is a different thing. I will do politics till my end. Nobody can force me to leave politics. I will do it while being in the BJP only,” Bharti said.

The BJP leader, who was a prominent face in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement of the 1990s, said she would set out on a 2,500-km yatra along the Ganga river on foot on Makar Sankranti in January next year for one-and-a-half years.

“I believe that one has to go to the banks of the Ganga river by leaving power and I am doing so for next one-and-a-half years. But I will be campaigning and would do politics till my last and that too with energy,” she said.

Bharti had made a similar claim previously too. In February, the minister had said she would opt out of the electoral arena due to advancing age and health issues.

Bharti’s announcement comes a fortnight after Swaraj said she will not contest the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 owing to health reasons. “It is the party which decides, but I have made up my mind not to contest the next (Lok Sabha) elections due to health reasons,” Swaraj had said.

“After being elected from Vidisha as Lok Sabha MP, I was Leader of Opposition. Later, I was given the responsibility of the External Affairs Ministry. Despite holding these prime posts, I used to visit all assembly segments in my constituency every month for nearly eight years. Doctors have advised me that I should avoid exposure to dust. Because of this, I am unable to take part even in election rallies,” she added.