Arun Jaitley, in a letter to PM Modi, said he needed time for his treatment

Arun Jaitley has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he will not be part of the new government, citing his health as the reason behind his request. The former finance minister said he faced "some serious health challenges" in the last 18 months, and said he needed time for his treatment.

Arun Jaitley has not been seen in public for at least two weeks but has been publishing blogs and messages on social media. Amid rumours about his health over the past few days, Mr Jaitley had appeared in several photos of his meetings with officials and others.

Here is the full text of Arun Jaitley's letter to PM Modi: