Sanjay Raut claims RSS wants change; BJP hits back

Mumbai:  Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on Sunday to “announce his retirement.”

Raut further alleged that a ‘closed-door’ meeting took place to discuss Modi’s successor, asserting that the next Prime Minister will be from Maharashtra. This is not the first time that speculation over Modi’s retirement has surfaced.

Highlighting that Modi had not visited the RSS headquarters in over a decade, Raut suggested that the visit carried political significance. He also pointed out that Modi will turn 75 in September 2025, adding that retirement at this age has been speculated.

“Modi’s successor will be from Maharashtra… and the RSS will decide that. From what I understand, the ‘Sangh Parivar’ wants a change in leadership. Modi’s time is over. They want to choose the next BJP Chief,” Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, declared.

Modi, who turns 75 on September 17 this year, had himself invoked an unofficial retirement age of 75 to sideline several members of the BJP old guard after coming to power in 2014.

‘No need to search for Modi’s successor’

Dismissing Raut’s claims, Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis asserted that there is “no need to search” for Modi’s successor, as he will continue to lead the country beyond 2029.

“In our culture, when the father is alive, it is inappropriate to talk about succession. That is Mughal culture. The time has not come to discuss it,” Fadnavis remarked.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule countered Raut’s claims, citing past Prime Ministers who served beyond 75 — Atal Bihari Vajpayee (until 79), Morarji Desai (active until 83) and Dr. Manmohan Singh (beyond 75).

Accusing Raut of hostility towards the BJP, Bawankule quipped, “Raut’s ‘mental balance’ seems disturbed by his ongoing animosity.” He emphasised that a Prime Minister’s tenure is determined by voters, not political adversaries. “Modi’s leadership will be decided by the people of India, not by Opposition leaders like Raut,” the Kamptee MLA stated.

Does BJP have a ‘retire at 75’ rule?

In May 2024, as India prepared for the Lok Sabha elections, speculation arose over whether Modi would retire at 75. However, several senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, dismissed these claims.

Opposition parties had frequently pointed to the BJP’s internal ‘no ticket above 75’ rule, a policy upheld for years. Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Amit Shah had confirmed that no candidate above 75 would be given a ticket.

However, in May 2024, Shah clarified that no such rule exists in BJP’s constitution. “Modi ji will lead the country till 2029 and also lead the coming elections,” he stated.

Does Constitution set an age limit for PMs?

The Indian Constitution does not impose a maximum age limit for Prime Minister. The only eligibility criteria require a candidate to be at least 25 years old for Lok Sabha and 30 for Rajya Sabha. Other requirements include Indian citizenship and securing parliamentary membership within six months of appointment. There is no Constitutional retirement age for the PM.

Modi’s retirement goes viral online

Mysuru: Yesterday, April Fool’s Day, the online platform went viral with the “news” about Modi’s retirement in September this year.

The buzz was deafening but it was quietened when  the BJP leaders denied the news as not true.