New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has offered her a ticket to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, she turned down the offer citing lack of money to contest the elections. The minister said that BJP chief JP Nadda had given her the option of contesting from Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu. She said, “After thinking for a week or 10 days, I just went back to say… maybe not. I don’t have enough money to contest the elections.
I also have a problem, whether it is Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu. There are many winning factors involved. There will also be questions like… Do you belong to this community or do you belong to that religion? Are you here? I said no, I don’t think I can do that. Narmila Sitharaman is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka and said this at the Times Now Summit 2024 in Delhi. “I am very grateful that they accepted my application…that’s why I am not contesting the elections,” she said.
Why does the Finance Minister of the country not have money?
When she was asked why even the Finance Minister of the country does not have enough money to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections? So she said that India’s money or the entire treasury of the country is not hers. She said, “My salary, my earnings, my savings… are mine, the Consolidated Fund of India is not mine.” The minister said that she will campaign for the candidates.
She said, “I will also participate in many media programs. And like yesterday, I will also campaign for Rajiv Chandrashekhar along with the candidates and yes, I will campaign.” The ruling BJP has fielded candidates like Piyush Goyal, Bhupendra Yadav, Rajiv Chandrashekhar, Mansukh Mandaviya and Jyotiraditya Scindia in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections starting from April 19.
Many sitting Rajya Sabha members including Scindia have been fielded.