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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNew Delhi: <\/b><\/p>\n
Former Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had wrapped up his three-decade-long political career to return to what he called his “roots”. In a long farewell message posted on X, formerly Twitter, he said, he would continue his work against “tobacco and substance abuse, against climate change and teaching simple and sustainable lifestyles”.<\/p>\n
His message came as the BJP fielded Praveen Khandelwal from Chandni Chowk, a seat which Mr Vardhan holds at present. His name did not figure in the 195 names announced in the party’s first list.<\/p>\n
The 69-year-old, who started his political career with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP’s ideological mentor, also said a “swayamsewak at heart”, he jumped into electoral politics “at the insistence of the then RSS leadership”.<\/p>\n
“They could convince me only because for me politics meant opportunity to fight our three main enemies – poverty, disease and ignorance,” he added.<\/p>\n
Dr Harshvardhan had stepped down from the post of the Union Health minister in July 2021, shortly before a cabinet reshuffle. He was replaced by Mansukh Mandaviya.<\/p>\n
The Congress alleged that his exit was Centre’s tacit admission of its all-round failure to manage the Covid pandemic.<\/p>\n
A doctor, Harsh Vardhan enjoyed a sterling record in his stints as health minister — in Delhi and then the Centre.<\/p>\n
But the unprecedented scale of devastation during the second Covid wave ambushed India’s health infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Thousands of patients had died, desperate for oxygen, hospital beds and vaccine.<\/p>\n
Images of bodies floating in the Ganga or washing up on its banks in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar played out in Indian and foreign media.<\/p>\n
His removal was seen as a strong message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the importance of performance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n