Congress veteran Sushilkumar Shinde announces retirement, names daughter Praniti for Solapur LS seat

Mumbai: In a significant political development, veteran Congress leader and former Maharashtra CM Sushilkumar Shinde said that he has decided to quit electoral politics and proposed the name of his daughter to contest the Solapur Lok Sabha seat. 

From being a bailiff in court, and later working as an intelligence officer in Mumbai police, to becoming a successful politician, Shinde has seen the ups and downs of politics for close to six decades. 

A Gandhi family loyalist and a veteran Dalit leader, Shinde (82) had served in various capacities including Power minister and later Home portfolios in the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. 

He had also served as Governor of undivided Andhra Pradesh. 

Now, Shinde’s daughter, Praniti (42), who is a three-term MLA from Solapur City Central, would be contesting the Solapur Lok Sabha seat. 

Shinde is a veteran of Solapur politics - having represented the Lok Sabha seat three times - 1998, 1999, and 2009.

In 2014, Shinde was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. 

On Tuesday, when a question was asked whether he or his daughter would contest the Solapur seat, Shinde said, “I am publicly saying that Praniti Tai (Shinde) will contest the Lok Sabha seat. I am almost a retired person.” 

However, he would continue to guide the Congress.

“There is nothing new in this. I have taken retirement but I will be available for party work whenever needed," he said.

The development comes in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Maharashtra. 

Shinde had lost the Lok Sabha polls from Solapur in 2014 and 2019.

Shinde said that he has conveyed his wishes to the Congress high command and it's the party that would take the final call.