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After stint as TMC minister, Laxmi Ratan Shukla rules out joining any political party for now
Shukla joined the Trinamool Congress in February 2016 and won the assembly elections the same year from Howrah. He was made the minister of state for sports and youth affairs. Later he was also made the president of the TMC’s Howrah district unit.
Former Indian cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who recently resigned from the post of a minister in the Mamata Banerjee-administration, said on Thursday that he is not joining any political party and was leaving politics for now.
“I am leaving politics for now, so the question of going somewhere doesn’t arise,” he told mediapersons. It was his first interaction with the media after he tendered his resignation on Tuesday.
There were speculations that Shukla could join some other political party. Earlier Suvendu Adhikary had resigned from the post of the state transport minister and the ruling Trinamool Congress. He later joined the BJP.
“Now I want to focus on sports in a much better manner. I will, however, complete my term as an MLA. Sport is my biggest identity,” he added.
Shukla joined the Trinamool Congress in February 2016 and won the assembly elections the same year from Howrah. He was made the minister of state for sports and youth affairs. Later he was also made the president of the TMC’s Howrah district unit.
On Tuesday, Shukla resigned from both the post of a minister and the party’s district president. Rumours were rife that Shukla resigned as he was disgruntled.
He, however, said: “Some reasons should stay within you. I want to take the game as a game and don’t want to drag it onto the roads. There are some things which shouldn’t be made public.”
“Laxmi is a good boy. He wrote a letter saying he wants to pursue sports wholeheartedly and wants to be relieved of all responsibilities in the party,” chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Tuesday.
