As Modi turns 75, Congress leader takes a jibe over 75-year age limit: 'Hope PM resigns tomorrow'

Last year, before 2024 elections, Amit Shah had clarified that there was no official age limit and Narendra Modi will continue as the prime minister

Congress leader Udit Raj on September 16 took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his 75th birthday, saying he hoped PM Modi will follow the age limit set by him for other Bhartiya Janata Party leaders.

"Hope PM Modi resigns tomorrow as he will turn 75; that was the age limit he had set for other leaders," Raj told PTI.

PM Modi turned 75 on September 17, with the saffron party set to mark the occasion with several events across the country.

The Opposition parties have repeatedly reminded BJP of the unofficial rule and asked if PM Modi will himself follow it.

BJP announced the formation of a Margdarshak Mandal, immediately after coming to power in 2014. Critics say this rule was created to retire senior party leaders, who had crossed the age of 75. The mandal included senior party leaders such as LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha, dropping them from BJP’s parliamentary board.

PM Modi also benefited from the unwritten rule as RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat asked LK Advani to step back, which allowed the former Gujarat chief minister to become the main challenger during the 2014 elections.

However, the rule was never made official despite informal age limit being used for deciding top ministerial positions.

Opposition leaders have repeatedly taken a dig at PM Modi, saying the age limit was only made to sideline senior leaders.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in July, had asked if Modi will retire after turning 75. “Will he go? He ousted all others… he is only worried about his chair,” Kharge had said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had recently accused PM Modi of using the informal limit to force senior leaders out. “Let’s see if he’ll hold himself to the same standard,” he asked according to Hindustan Times.

Congress leader and senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was “dangerous to not practice what you preach”.

Another Congress leader Manickam Tagore said in August that Advani was “packed off”, but there is no rule for Bhagwat and Modi as they both turn 75 in September.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement in July this year created a storm when he said leaders should stop when they turn 75. However, later, Bhagwat clarified that he has never set any retirement age for him or anyone else.

Earlier, during the 2019 elections, Amit Shah had said that the party is not fielding candidates older than 75. However, just before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Shah said there is no retirement age and PM Modi will continue for the full term as there was no age limit in BJP’s constitution.