Lok Sabha polls 2024: 'My ENT clinic at Krishna Nagar awaits me,' says Dr Harsh Vardhan after being dropped from Chandni Chowk

Lok Sabha elections latest: Dr Harsh Vardhan, former Union Minister and Chandni Chowk BJP MP, on Sunday said that he is finally going back to his roots. The former Union Minister made the announcement on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle. The BJP on Saturday announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming general polls. In the saffron party's first list of candidates, Praveen Khandelwal replaced Dr Harsh Vardhan from Chandni Chowk. 

In a lengthy note on X, he harkened back to his victories in five assembly and two parliamentary elections when he was associated with the saffron party. 

"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 (sic)," Dr Harsh Vardhan said in a lengthy post. 

He also said that serving mankind was his motto with a desire to help the poor and needy when he joined the MBBS course in Kanpur's GSVM Medical College over five decades ago. "A swayamsevak at heart, I have always been an ardent admirer of Deen Dayal Upadhyay ji's Antyodaya philosophy of striving to serve the last man in the queue," Dr Harsh Vardhan said. 

He further said that he entered electoral politics at the insistence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leadership at the time. "They could convince me only because for me politics meant opportunity to fight our three main enemies- poverty, disease and ignorance," the former Chandni Chowk MP noted. 

He also talked at length about his work in the Polio Free Bharat campaign and his role in helping India manage the COVID-19 pandemic during the first and second phases.

"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," he said. 

"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 !!"

He further thanked the party workers or karyakartas, his supporters and party leaders who contributed to his political journey. He also talked about his experience of working with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"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. 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," Dr Harsh Vardhan said. 

Towards the end of his post, he said that he will continue to pursue his work against tobacco and substance abuse, climate change as well as teaching simple and sustainable lifestyles. He also said that his ENT clinic in Delhi's Krishna Nagar awaits his return. 

"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. 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 (sic)," Dr Harsh Vardhan signed off.