Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Declines Lok Sabha Election Offer, Cites Financial Constraints.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has turned down the BJP’s invitation to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu. In a recent media interaction, a senior BJP leader revealed that Sitharaman cited financial constraints as the primary reason for her decision, stating that she lacked the necessary funds to launch a campaign.

“After deliberating for about a week or ten days, I have decided to decline the offer. I do not possess the required financial resources to contest. Moreover, I am hesitant about the selection criteria based on factors like community or religion,” Sitharaman explained during the TIMES NOW Summit 2024.

Elaborating on her decision, she emphasized, “My salary, earnings, and savings are personal and not sourced from the Consolidated Fund of India.”

Instead of running for office, Sitharaman expressed her intent to support various BJP candidates in their campaigns. “I will actively participate in media events and accompany candidates on their campaign trails. Tomorrow, for instance, I will be joining Rajiv Chandrasekhar’s campaign,” she disclosed.

While several existing Rajya Sabha members, including Piyush Goyal, Bhupender Yadav, Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Mansukh Mandaviya, and Jyotiraditya Scindia, have been fielded by the BJP in the upcoming elections, Sitharaman, currently representing Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, will focus on campaigning for her party colleagues.

(Inputs from agencies)