Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the former IT minister in the second Modi government, announced the end of his 18-year stint in public service only to later issue a clarification. Chandrasekhar, who was dropped from the newly sworn-in Modi government, saw his Rajya Sabha tenure end in April and recently lost the Lok Sabha election to Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram.

Earlier today, right before the swearing in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues, Chandrasekhar initially stated on social media that his 18-year stint in public service had come to an end. He expressed that although he did not intend to end his public service career as a candidate who lost an election, that was how it had turned out. Chandrasekhar thanked those he met and who supported him, particularly the karyakartas (party workers) and leaders who inspired and energised him. He also expressed gratitude to his colleagues in the government over the last three years. Despite his electoral defeat, he assured that as a BJP karyakarta, he would continue to support and work for the party.

However, shortly after, Chandrasekhar issued a clarification to address the “confusion” caused by his earlier statement. He explained that the original message was posted by a young intern on his team and had inadvertently created confusion about his future political work. He clarified that today marked the end of his tenure as an MP and his three years as Minister of State in the Council of Ministers under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. To prevent any further misunderstanding, Chandrasekhar stated that the initial tweet had been deleted. He emphasized that his commitment to advancing India and Thiruvananthapuram, as a dedicated BJP karyakarta, remained as strong as ever.

Chandrasekhar’s initial statement suggested a conclusion to his public service career, prompting speculation about his future in politics. The clarification aimed to dispel any misconceptions, asserting his ongoing dedication to his political work and commitment to the BJP and Thiruvananthapuram. Despite the electoral defeat and exclusion from the new cabinet, Chandrasekhar emphasised that his role as a dedicated BJP karyakarta continues unabated.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, before entering politics, had been a businessman known for his significant contributions in telecommunications and technology. Born on May 31, 1964, he has an engineering background with a degree from Manipal Institute of Technology and advanced studies at Illinois Institute of Technology.

Chandrasekhar began his career in the tech industry, founding BPL Mobile, one of India’s early mobile network companies. Transitioning to politics, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka.