Jayant Sinha becomes second BJP MP to opt out of 2024 general elections

BJP MP Jayant Sinha on Saturdday said he has requested the party president J P Nadda to relieve him from direct electoral duties, joining the list of party leaders not contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

In a post on social media platform X, the MP from Jharkhand's Hazaribagh said he will continue to work with the party on economic and governance issues.

The BJP is said to be contemplating giving tickets to several new leaders and some other sitting MPs also are understood to have told the party that they would like to focus on other organisational work.

Earlier in the day, BJP's East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir also said he said asked the party to relieve him from political duties so that he can focus on his upcoming cricket commitments.

Sinha, a former union minister, said he wants to focus his efforts on "combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world".

"I have had the privilege of serving the people of Bharat and Hazaribagh for the past ten years. Moreover, I have been blessed by the many opportunities provided by Prime Minister Narendra Mod, Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP leadership. My sincerest gratitude to all of them. Jai Hind!" he said in his post on X.