Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Wednesday her decision to abstain from participating in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Sitharaman disclosed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had approached her with proposals to contest from constituencies in either Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh, but she opted to decline the offer.
Addressing the matter during a summit, Sitharaman conveyed to reporters, "Party did ask me, after thinking over a week or days, I just went back to say maybe not." She elaborated on the reasons behind her decision, citing financial constraints and concerns over various winnability criteria utilized by political parties.
Sitharaman highlighted the financial aspect, indicating, "But I don't have that kind of money to contest." Additionally, she raised apprehensions regarding the prevalent criteria for candidate selection, stating, "Whether it is Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu, there is also going to be a question of various winnability criteria that they use, are you from this community or from that religion."
The Union Finance Minister highlighted in her stance, emphasizing that she did not perceive herself as meeting the criteria set forth by political parties. Despite BJP's insistence, Sitharaman maintained her decision to abstain from contesting the elections, expressing gratitude for the party's understanding.
When queried about her financial capabilities to contest elections, Sitharaman clarified, "My salary, my earnings, and my savings are mine and not the Consolidated Fund of India."
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