'Indian politics needs more like her': Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern's retirement

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and party’s national spokesperson Jairam Ramesh on Thursday hailed New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who has announced his decision not to seek re-election and step down as the country's leader. Drawing parallel from the words of famous cricketer-commentator Vijay Merchant, Ramesh interpreted Ardern's stepping down as a move that "follows Merchant's maxim”.

The Congress leader took to Twitter and stated, "Indian politics needs more like her".

Legendary cricket commentator, Vijay Merchant once said about retiring at the peak of his career:Go when people ask why is he going instead of why isn't he going. Kiwi PM, Jacinda Ardern has just said she is quitting following Merchant's maxim. Indian politics needs more like her — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 19, 2023

His tweet came shortly after Ardern told reporters in Napier that February 7 will be her last day in office. She will hold her seat as a lawmaker until the general election, which she said would be held on October 14. 

"For me it's time," she said at a meeting of members of her Labour Party. "I just don't have enough in the tank for another four years." Ardern, who became prime minister in a coalition government in 2017, then led her centre-left Labour Party to a comprehensive victory in an election three years later, has seen her party and personal popularity drop in recent polls.

In her first public appearance since parliament went into its summer recess a month ago, she told Labour's annual caucus retreat that during the break she had hoped to find the energy to continue as leader, "but I have not been able to do that". "I am not leaving, because I believe we cannot win the next election, but because I believe we can and will," she said.

Ardern said her resignation would take effect no later than February 7, adding that the Labour caucus would vote on a new leader on January 22.

Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said he would not be putting his name forward. Ardern said there was no secret behind her resignation. "I am human. We give as much as we can for as long as we can and then it's time. And for me, it's time.

"I am leaving because with such a privileged job comes a big responsibility. The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead -- and also when you're not."

Ardern's empathetic handling of the nation's worst mass-shooting and health-driven response to the coronavirus pandemic led her to become an international icon but she has faced mounting criticism at home.