‘Madam, I am running behind you’: When Swaraj Kaushal thanked wife Sushma Swaraj

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Minutes after then foreign minister Sushma Swaraj in November 2018 announced her decision to keep off electoral politics citing health reasons, her husband and former governor Swaraj Kaushal thanked her

“Madam – Thank you very much for your decision not to contest any more elections. I remember there came a time when even Milkha Singh stopped running,” he said admiringly in a series of tweets to his wife, tracing her long career in electoral politics.

Sushma Swaraj, who at that time represented Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha in Parliament, had been suffering from diabetes and had undergone a kidney transplant in December 2016.

In his admiring tweets, Swaraj Kaushal went on to refer to her political career spanning four decades.

“This marathon has been on since 1977 – that is 41 years. You have contested 11 direct elections. In fact you contested all elections held since 1977 except twice when party did not allow you to contest in 1991 and 2004. You have been four terms in Lok Sabha, three terms in Rajya Sabha and thrice elected to state Assembly. You are contesting elections since you were 25 – and fighting elections for 41 years is quite a marathon,” he tweeted.

“Madam I am running behind you for the last 46 years. I am no longer a 19-year-old. Please, I am also running out of breath. Thank you,” Swaraj Kaushal had said.

Swaraj Kaushal had also defended his wife on twitter, responding to a troll who had asked him to “beat her up” for apparently “appeasing Muslims”, saying:“…We adore her. Please do not use such words for her. We are first generation in law and politics. We pray for nothing more than her life…”

Both Sushma and Swaraj Kaushal have many firsts to their names. If Sushma Swaraj holds the distinction of becoming the state president of the Janata Party at the age of 27, Swaraj Kaushal has the honour of being the youngest ever Advocate General at the age of 34. Where Sushma Swaraj has the distinction of being the first woman External Affairs Minister, Kaushal holds the honour of being the youngest Governor at the age of 37.