Sushma Swaraj will not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections
What's the story
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has announced that she will not contest the elections. Speaking at a press conference, Swaraj said that her party, the BJP, decides who gets to contest and who doesn't, but that she had made up her mind to not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. She is a Member of Parliament from Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh. Here's what we know.
Twitter Post
Sushma Swaraj's announcement, as reported by ANI
It is the party which decides, but I have made up my mind not to contest next elections: External Affairs Minister and Vidisha MP Sushma Swaraj pic.twitter.com/G3cHC6pKGh
— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2018
Details
Reportedly, Swaraj has cited health reasons for not contesting
Swaraj's announcement came at Indore, and reportedly, she has cited health reasons behind her decision to not contest. The minister has also notified the BJP of her decision, although it is not known as of now what the BJP has said. In May 2014, Swaraj had replaced Congress' Salman Khurshid as the Minister of External Affairs, under the newly-formed NDA government.