Former Union Home Minister and veteran Congress leader, Sushil Kumar Shinde, made a significant announcement on Tuesday, signalling his withdrawal from electoral politics in anticipation of the 2024 general elections. The 83-year-old political stalwart, who entered the political arena in the early seventies, declared that his daughter, Praniti Shinde, would be his successor in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, specifically contesting from the Solapur Lok Sabha constituency.
Praniti Shinde: The Next Political Heir
Praniti Shinde, aged 42, has a notable political background, having served as a legislator in the Solapur city central assembly seat for three consecutive terms. Her entry into the national electoral arena marks a generational shift in the Shinde family's political legacy, as she prepares to carry forward her father's political baton.
Sushil Kumar Shinde's Political Journey and Challenges
Shinde had initially expressed his intention to make way for his daughter after the 2014 elections, declaring that it would be his final contest. Despite facing electoral setbacks, he continued his political journey, contesting for the Solapur seat in both 2014 and 2019.
Shinde boasts an illustrious political career, serving as a three-term Member of Parliament from the Solapur Lok Sabha seat. He also held the esteemed position of Maharashtra Chief Minister briefly from January 2003 to November 2004. Following his stint in state politics, he was appointed as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, further solidifying his political footprint.
Additionally, Shinde contributed significantly to the central government, assuming the role of the country's Power Minister in the Manmohan Singh government and later shouldering the responsibility of the Home Ministry in 2012 after P Chidambaram, who was brought in as home minister in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, moved back to the finance ministry.
