George Fernandes, the man who as a trade unionist brought Mumbai to a halt in the 60s, bid adieu to politics on Monday.
The once firebrand but now highly incapacitated leader moved from his official residence at Krishna Menon Marg in the capital to his own house at Panchsheel Park.
His party, the Janata Dal (United), did not re-nominate him for a Rajya Sabha seat from Bihar, which he had represented in his last term.
However, a senior JD(U) leader told DNA that Fernandes was not in a position to speak, hear, sign or remember anything or even walk. Neither he nor any member of his family sought a nomination either.
Therefore, it would be wrong to say the party denied him ticket, the JD(U) leader said.
Fernandes was reportedly hanging on to his Krishna Menon Marg residence hoping to get a re-nomination.
But once the party indicated this was not going to happen because of his failing health and political compulsions faced by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, Fernandes decided to call it a day.
His move brought to an end a political career spanning nearly six decades. The ailing leader’s wife, Laila Fernandes, took him to his Panchsheel Park home.
JD(U) is set to win two of five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar. It is, however, yet to select the candidates. BJP has already re-nominated Rajiv Pratap Rudy and RJD has decided to send Ram Kripal Yadav to the Upper House.
RJD, Congress or Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP may get one more seat. Though Paswan’s party has an edge, outgoing member RK Dhawan of the Congress is trying hard to get RJD support.
JD(U) president Sharad Yadav, the Bihar chief minister and other senior leaders are likely to decide party nominees soon.
