New Delhi: George Fernandes, who has not been keeping good health for quite some time now, was on Thursday politely told by his party JD(U) that he would not be fielded in the Lok Sabha elections from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, which he has won five times.
In a letter to 79-year-old Fernandes, party chief Sharad Yadav cited health grounds in deciding not to field him in the elections as it would be a strain on his health.
Fernandes, who suffers from memory loss and was replaced by Yadav as NDA convenor in December last, has not been having good relations with Yadav, who had defeated him in the party's presidential polls in 2006 by a huge margin.
He also does not share a good rapport with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who appears to be calling the shots in the party in Bihar.
However, in his letter today, Yadav promised to nominate the nine-time Lok Sabha member to the Rajya Sabha "whenever the first vacancy arises from Bihar for the Upper House".
The JD(U) chief said the party was concerned over his health condition and felt that campaigning in a big constituency would be very strenuous for him.
"The party, therefore, wants to make you a member of the Rajya Sabha," said Yadav.
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