'Not going anywhere': Vasundhara Raje clarifies 'I think I can retire’ remark

Former Rajasthan chief minister and veteran BJP leader Vasundhara Raje on Saturday ruled out speculations about her retirement from active politics, a day after dropping a hint about the same during her campaign in the poll-bound state.

“...Jhalawar is my family. In this family, we speak a lot of things that have no political connotation. I said that yesterday because after looking at Dushyant (her son) and listening to his speech and looking at the reaction of people, I was delighted. As a mother, I was happy that there was such coordination between the two. I would like to make it clear that I am not going anywhere, I have just filed my nomination. Don't keep anything about retirement in your mind”, the BJP leader was quoted by ANI as saying after filing her nomination from Jhalrapatan, the seat in Jhalawar which she has represented since 2003.

On Friday, while campaigning in the district, Raje had said,"The most important thing to consider is that now I think I can retire. Today when I heard my son, MP sahab, when I heard him speak, I felt you all have taught him well… with some love, some anger you have put him on the right path. Now I don’t have to get after him, you have done that". The BJP leader was referring to her son Dushyant Singh, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Jhalawar. He has been representing the constituency since 2009.

Raje had first contested the election from Jhalrapatan in 2003. She defeated Sachin Pilot's mother Rama Pilot who had contested as a Congress candidate. The BJP won the election and Raje became the chief minister for the first time.

In 2008, the BJP lost election and Congress formed the government under Ashok Gehlot. But Raje won the election again from Jhalrapatan, defeating Mohanlal Rathore of the Congress.

In 2013, the BJP swept the Rajasthan election by winning 163 out of 200 seats. Raje, who became the chief minister for the second time, defeated Congress candidate Meenakshi Chandrawat by a big margin of over 60,000 votes.

In 2018, the BJP lost the election and Congress once again came to power. Raje, however, retained her bastion, defeating Manvendra Singh of the Congress. Singh is the son of former Union minister Jaswant Singh.

Rajasthan goes to poll this year on November 25. The counting of votes will take place on December 3.