Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Says Doesn't Have Money To Contest Lok Sabha Elections 2024

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely not to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024. According to the reports, she has said no to BJP chief JP Nadda's offer to her for contesting Lok Sabha elections from Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu citing the hefty amount required to contest elections. Reports said, Sitharaman told the BJP president that she doesn't have the 'kind of funds' required to campaign and contest the elections.

"After thinking for a week or ten days, I went back to say, 'Maybe not'. I do not have that kind of money to contest. I also have a problem whether it is Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu. It's also going to be a question of various other winnability criteria that they use... Are you from this community or are you from that religion? Are you from this? I said no, I do not think I am going to able to do it," the Finance Minister said at TIMES NOW Summit 2024.

Sitharaman thanked the party's top brass for understanding her situation and accepting her point.

"I am very grateful they accepted my argument... So I am not contesting," she added.

Replying to a question "How can a country's finance minister not have money to contest elections", Nirmala Sitharaman said that Consolidated funds are Of the Country and don't belong to her.

"My salary, my earnings, and my savings are mine and not the Consolidated Fund of India," the Finance Minister said bluntly.

She further added that she is a loyal member of the BJP and will surely campaign for her party leaders namely Piyush Goyal, Bhupender Yadav, Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Mansukh Mandaviya, and Jyotiraditya Scindia who are trying their luck from down south this time.

"I will attend a lot of media events and go with the candidates - like tomorrow I will be going for Rajiv Chandrasekhar's campaign. I'll be on the campaign trail," she added.