Mallikarjun Kharge: No one should retire in politics

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. File Pic

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has said there should be no retirement age in politics, and those with ideological conviction and a will to serve the people and the country should do so till their last breath.

The 82-year-old leader was speaking here on Monday at the launch of Congress veteran Sushil Kumar Shinde's memoir "Five Decades in Politics", written with journalist-author Rasheed Kidwai.

Kharge said that Shinde shouldn't see himself a retired man at 83 as he still has a crucial role to play in strengthening the Congress party and spreading its ideology further among the masses.

"You are 82-83 only.. Look at Morarji Desai. I believe no one should retire in politics. Those who have faith in their ideology, want to serve the nation, want to serve their community, then you have to work till your last breath and awaken the people of your country," Kharge said.

Morarji Desai became India's oldest prime minister at the age of 81 in 1977.

Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, clarified that none of it should be done seeking a ministry or other plush positions but as a "return gift" to the people of the country and the political party that has nurtured the person.

"Whatever one has learnt in his life or whatever one has achieved, eventually you have to return it to the people," he added, hoping that Shinde will continue to work for the party where he achieved so much in his five-decades-long illustrious career.

Apart from being the chief minister of Maharashtra from 2003 to 2004, Shinde has held some of the highest offices in the country, including the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 2004-2006 and the Union home minister from 2012-2014. He was also UPA's vice-presidential candidate in 2002, and in the party he served as All India Congress Committee general secretary.

Kharge also praised Shinde for his positive demeanour, saying he went about his business with an ever-present smile on his face, and did his work quietly without tom tomming about it.

He argued that this quality of Shinde is rather rare in today's time when some people, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are all talk and no action.

"He (Shinde) has amazing patience. I, frankly speaking, get angry very easily, and can't stop myself when I see injustice happening anywhere. But not him, Shinde ji is ever smiling.

"To have that kind of attitude for 50 years is very difficult and he managed to do that. Not for nothing, he became chief minister, home minister, governor and achieved so much in his life," he added.

Sushil Kumar Shinde, on the occasion, thanked the Congress party and especially the late former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi for mentoring and guiding him all the way.

"I have no words to thank Sonia Gandhi for what all she did for me. Because to take the decision of appointing a scheduled caste as the chief minister in Maharashtra was not an easy thing to do, and only someone like Sonia ji can do that... There is just so much that the party did for me," he noted, adding that he hopes the book will work as an inspiration to others.

The book launch was also attended by Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.

The book, priced at Rs 599, is published by HarperCollins India.

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