I am fed up with politics: George

Ailing veteran JD(U) leader George Fernandes says he is “fed up of politics” and is now spending time penning down his memoirs. “I am fed up with politics,” said the 79-year-old former defence minister, currently undergoing traditional Tibetan treatment here for a clot in his brain.

“I am spending time writing a book to refresh memories of my life-long journey,” he said.  The socialist leader, who unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary polls as an Independent from his traditional Muzaffarpur seat in Bihar after being denied a party ticket, said this would be his last book, but did not mention when his “autobiography” would hit the stands.

When asked if the book will have reference to his socialist colleagues particularly RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, with whom his relationship soured recently, Fernandes said: “I don’t want to talk about any individual.”

Fernandes, who has been staying here since a fortnight on the invitation of his “friend” and Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, expressed dismay over the present brand of politics and said the country needed a “young” prime minister. “Politics is no longer about social service. It has transformed into a business which is finishing the country.

India must have a young prime minister to take the nation to the top,” he said. When asked if he was referring to AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Fernandes refused to comment. Fernandes, a vocal supporter of the Tibetan cause, was accompanied by Jaya Jaitley and former minister Ajai Singh during his stay in Himachal Pradesh.