Devendra Fadnavis backs PM Modi to continue leading the nation: 'Age just a number for him'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. (File: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi should continue to lead the nation till he has the capacity, Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday, adding that age was just a number for the PM, considering his physical and mental capabilities.

"Age is just a number for him considering his physical and mental capability. When does the age factor matter - when your physical and mental capacities reduce...But that is not the case with PM Modi. He should continue to lead us till he has the capacity," Fadnavis said at the India Today Conclave.

The Maharashtra CM said that the age factor begins to matter only when one's physical and mental capabilities reduce. "But that is not the case with PM Modi. He should continue to lead us till he has the capacity."

PM Modi, who turned 75 on September 17, is now India's third-longest serving prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, and second in terms of uninterrupted tenure.

The Chief Minister also referred to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's recent post, claiming that the youth and 'Gen Z' of India will bring an end to "vote-chori" and said that the Congress leader was irrelevant to the youth and Gen-Z.

"India's Gen Z is involved in the start-up ecosystem, engineers in AI...They are in Silicon Valley. India's Gen Z thinks differently. Those who think what happened in Nepal will happen here should go to the neighbouring country," Fadnavis said.

Rahul, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, escalated his attack against the BJP and Election Commission of India last week and reiterated his allegations of "vote-chori".

"The nation's youth, the nation's students, the nation's Gen Z, will defend the Constitution, protect democracy, and stop vote theft. I always stand with them. Jai Hind!" the Congress MP had said.

Fadnavis further said that he would continue to lead the state till the end of his five-year tenure and that the party would decide his role thereafter. He was responding to a query on whether he would take up a national role if asked to by the party.

Fadnavis also brushed aside any possibility of a rift within the ruling alliance in the state and said that while each partner was within its right in harbouring ambitions, but understanding the limitations of coalition politics was key to the smooth functioning of the alliance government.

"They can keep their aspirations and there is no harm in it. In our alliance, BJP is the strong centre pole which keeps the coalition together. In the MVA, all three parties considered themselves equal and hence it didn't last," he said.

Fadnavis further said that the BJP will face the 2029 Maharashtra assembly polls in alliance with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. "In politics nothing is impossible but there will be no change in allies."