Daughter Sharmistha rules out Shiv Sena's 'Pranab Mukherjee for 2019' theory

Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee on Sunday ruled out her father and former president Pranab Mukherjee's return to active politics.

Taking to twitter Sharmistha wrote: Mr Raut, after retiring as President of India, my father is NOT going to enter into active politics again.

Her response comes a day after the Shiv Sena claimed that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) may project former president Pranab Mukherjee as its Prime Minister candidate if the BJP failed to secure the majority in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"We feel RSS is preparing itself for a situation where it might put forth Pranab Mukherjee ji as PM name if the BJP failed to get required numbers," ANI quoted Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut as saying.

Raut also said that the BJP will lose a minimum of 110 seats in the forthcoming general elections. The Shiv Sena leader's remark came days after Mukherjee attended an RSS event at its Nagpur headquarters.

Sharmistha Mukherjee along with other Congress leaders had vehemently opposed her father attending the RSS event and said was giving the BJP and the Sangh a handle to plant false stories.

In his speech at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday warned that any attempt to define India through "religion, dogma or intolerance" will only dilute the country's existence.

He said intolerance will only dilute India' national identity and Indian nationalism emanated from universalism, assimilation and co-existence.

"In India, we derive our strength from tolerance and respect our pluralism. We celebrate our diversity," Mukherjee said. Mukherjee, who served as president of India between 2012 and 2017, added, "I am here to share my understanding on nation, nationalism and patriotism about our country which is 'Bharat'... We must free our public discourse from all kinds of fear and violence."