Hours after Delhi Assembly Speaker Ramniwas Goyal, the 76-year-old AAP MLA from Shahdara announced his retirement from active politics on Thursday, former BJP MLA Jitendra Singh Shanti joined AAP in the presence of party chief Arvind Kejriwal.
Shanti, 62, won the 2013 Delhi elections from Shahdara on a BJP ticket. AAP is now planning to replace Goyal in the February 2025 assembly elections from the same constituency.
Apart from his political tenure, Shanti was a social activist. He is called Delhi’s “ambulance man” for his role in ensuring cremation of dead bodies during the Covid pandemic. He helps people by providing emergency ambulance services. He has also made his identity by donating blood around 100 times in the blood donation campaign.
Shanti was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021 for her social services during the Covid pandemic.
He also runs an NGO called Shaheed Bhagat Singh Seva Dal, which is known for cremating unclaimed bodies and performing last rites according to Hindu and Sikh religious rituals.
Shanti started his NGO about 30 years ago after witnessing an incident in Nigambodh Crematorium in Delhi where he was called a thief when he was seen collecting firewood. “I later learned that the man had no money to buy wood to cremate his son,” Shanti said The Indian Express First.
His political innings began in 2008 when he successfully contested the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections as an independent candidate from Jhilmil ward. Later he joined BJP.
After serving as an MCD councilor twice, Shanti contested his first assembly election as a BJP candidate from Shahdara in 2013, which he won by 15,000 votes. However, in the 2015 elections, he was defeated by Aam Aadmi Party’s Goyal by 11,700 votes.
In his induction programme, Kejriwal welcomed Shanti to AAP, “Shanti is famous not only in Delhi or in the country but also internationally for her extraordinary contribution to social service. For the past 39 years, she has been selflessly dedicated to social service. When many families fear the dead bodies of their loved ones during the pandemic. Denied the claim, he was there.”
On his part, Shanti said he has kept away from politics for a long time despite being elected as a three-time MP to focus on social work. He said that during the pandemic, Kejriwal had called him saying that he also wanted to contribute to the cause. “At the time I felt we shared the same purpose,” he said.
Shanti said, “Initially I was interested in returning to politics, but Kejriwal ji convinced me by saying ‘we fulfill the needs of the living, and you fulfill the needs of the dead’ – together we can ensure this. The weak get dignity in life and dignity in death.” . His words resonated with me, and I realized that this partnership could enhance my work and bring dignity to the poor during their lifetime and after their death.”
Hinting about his plans to contest the upcoming elections as an AAP candidate, Shanti said: “For the first time, the Delhi Assembly will focus on the human rights of the helpless and unclaimed dead… I have voluntarily decided to re-enter politics – not for power, but for blessings.” As a means of earning.