Pranab Mukherjee will not rejoin politics, says daughter after Shiv Sena comment

Sharmistha Mukherjee’s comment comes after Pranab in a speech at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur last.

Pranab Mukherjee will “NOT” rejoin politics, said his daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee on Sunday, reacting after a Shiva Sena leader commented that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) could name the former president for the prime minister’s post in the 2019 elections.

Former president Pranab Mukherjee is welcomed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat in Nagpur, on Thursday, June 07, 2018. (PTI)

Sharmistha Mukherjee’s comment comes after Pranab in a speech at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur last week said attempts to define India’s nationhood on the basis of religion would “dilute our nationality.”

Shiv Sena said Pranab’s speech indicates that the RSS is considering its options if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were to lose the elections. “We feel RSS is preparing itself for a situation where it might put forth Pranab Mukherjee ji as PM name if BJP fails to get required numbers, in any case BJP will lose a minimum of 110 seats this time,” news agency ANI quoted senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut as saying.

Sharmistha, a Congress leader, rejected Raut’s statement. “Mr Raut, after retiring as President of India, my father is NOT going to enter into active politics again,” she said on Twitter.

Sharmistha, using her Twitter handle, had protested Pranab’s decision to visit Nagpur, warning that it would give give the BJP and RSS “full handle” to plant rumours and false stories.

The Shiv Sena and the BJP are allies in the Maharashtra government, but have a frosty relationship. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray signaled that his party could still contest the Lok Sabha elections on its own.