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Lok Sabha polls result: Rajeev Chandrasekhar clarifies after now-deleted social media post causes confusion

In an earlier post, which he later deleted and claimed it was posted by a "new young intern", he apparently said hi was quitting politics.

South First Desk

Published Jun 09, 2024 | 11:39 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 10, 2024 | 12:37 AM

BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar says his public service comes to an end, Tharoor disagrees

Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Shashi Tharoor

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Minutes before Narendra Modi was set to take oath as the Prime Minister for the third time, BJP leader and former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, 9 June, to post that the curtain was finally coming down on his “18-year stint of public service”.

The post was deleted soon, and Chandrashekar uploaded another on the site, clarifying that the previous one was put up by a “new young intern” from his team.

He also clarified that Sunday actually marked “the end of my 18 years long stint as a MP and my 3 years as Minister of State in the Council of Ministers under Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji [sic]”.

Also Read: From Karnataka CM to Cabinet Minister in Modi government: JD(S)’ HD Kumaraswamy’s political profile

What the deleted post said

Chandrasekhar, who contested from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram against three-time MP Shashi Tharoor in a tight race, lost by a margin of 16,077 votes.

While key ministers in Modi’s outgoing government were on Sunday inducted into the Council of Ministers, Chandrasekhar isn’t on the list.

In the post he deleted a short while after posting it, he had said, “Today curtains down on my 18-year stint of public service, of which 3 years I had the privilege to serve with PM Narendra Modi TeamModi2.0.”

He added: “I certainly didn’t intend to end my 18 years of public service, as a candidate who lost an Election, but that’s how it turned out.”

In that post, he apparently also thanked people who supported him and said that he would continue to be a BJP karyakarta and work for the party.

“My deepest thanks to all those I met, all those who supported me – and in particular all those karyakartas and leaders who inspired and energized me. Thanks also to my colleagues in govt over the last 3 years. As a BJP karyakarta, I will continue to support and work in the party [sic],” he wrote.

Before he deleted the post, MP-elect Shashi Tharoor responded to him and assured him that the BJP leader could still contribute a lot to India through public service.

He wrote, “As someone who discussed various issues with you during your stint in government, I have no doubt that there is much more you can contribute to our country through public service, @RajeevRC_X. [sic]”

He further insisted that elective office was only one path of offering public service.

(Edited by Neena) 

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