My daughter and I will not compete. Lok Sabha vote: Mukesh Agnihotri, the Dy CM of Himachal

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said today that, in light of their own family tragedy, neither he nor his daughter will run for the Lok Sabha from the Hamirpur constituency.

Speaking to reporters here, Agnihotri said, “I am at a point in my political career when no one can compel me to run for office. I have also always pursued politics on my own terms. He acknowledged that the party’s top leadership had given his daughter Ashta Agnihotri a ticket to run in both the Una Gagret Assembly byelection and the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency.

“This time, neither my daughter nor I are eager to run for office. Elections and politics are not everything. My wife passed away recently, and the family is still adjusting to the new normal,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer said that his daughter’s decision not to run was due to this reason. Although the Congress has yet to choose a candidate for the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency, rumors have been circulating about Agnihotri’s name or that of his daughter being considered.

Agnihotri refuted rumors that his name was being mentioned and said that he has always been ranked number one in every study conducted over the last 20 years to identify a strong contender. “I don’t care who is planning a plot to maintain my reputation. On the other hand, if everything in the family had gone according to plan, we might have taken my daughter’s candidacy into consideration, and for that I am thankful to the Congress high command,” he said.

Astha had previously said in a statement that she had turned down the invitation to run because, in light of her mother’s passing, she was not in the right frame of mind.