Shatrughan Sinha rules out retirement from politics

Patna: BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha, who was apparently sidelined by his party during Bihar Assembly election, on Thursday ruled out retiring from politics and promised to continue raising issues objectively.

“I am yet to see many springs in politics ... there is too much time for that (retirement)”, Sinha told reporters when asked if he planned to hang up his politician's boots following the disregard by BJP. Asked if wished to withdraw from politics like fellow Bollywood colleague Amitabh Bachhan, 70-year-old Sinha said the comparison was not even as I have been member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for four times.

Sinha, popularly known as Bihari Babu, was talking to media persons a day before the release of a biography, 'Anything but Khamosh' in his home town.

In reponse to a question as to why was he ignored within the party, Sinha, the second term Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib, disagreed being ignored by BJP and said in days to come he would participate in the party functions. He also dismissed chance of leaving BJP. “I have said many times and say even today, BJP is my first choice and most probably would be the last choice”, he said.

“It's all within the family ... you know utensils collide within family”, Sinha said on his not so sweet relations with the BJP leaders since eve of Bihar poll. Sinha, who served as Cabinet minister in NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said he joined BJP at the peak of his film career when BJP used to be party of two MPs.

Politics is a mission for me and not a profession
“My contribution to the party could not be ignored. Politics is a mission for me and not a profession. I came to politics to do something for common man and would continue to raise issues concerned with them and which are also good for the party”, Sinha said.

Sinha had embarrassed his party on several occasions by meeting and praising rivals like Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

Talking about the book written by a Mumbai-based journalist Bharti Pradhan, Sinha said it highlights his struggle to success both in film world and politics. First released in Delhi by Sinha's friend, philosopher and guide L K Advani, the biography was later launched by mega star Amitabh Bachchan in Mumbai.

The book would be launched in Patna on Friday at a function likely to be attended by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and acting Chief Justice of the Patna High Court Iqbal Ahmad Ansari. Sinha had recently indicated that many leaders of his own party BJP would not be invited for the book release function in Patna which would be a cultural function.