Congress leader Udit Raj made headlines on Monday with a bold statement, suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may resign on September 17, coinciding with his 75th birthday. Raj expressed his hope: “Hope PM Modi resigns tomorrow as he will turn 75; that was the age limit he had set for other leaders.”
This commentary reflects a longstanding theme in Indian politics, as the opposition has frequently pointed to an unwritten rule indicating that leaders refrain from contesting elections after the age of 75. This narrative gained traction following remarks made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah before the 2019 elections regarding the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decision to avoid fielding candidates above this age threshold.
In a related context, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat recently reiterated that leaders should retire after the age of 75. His comments, made during a book release event in Nagpur on July 9, further fueled political speculation about Modi’s future: “When you turn 75, it means you should stop now and make way for others,” Bhagwat stated.
Modi, who was born Narendra Damodardas Modi on September 17, 1950, previously served as Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, and has been Prime Minister since 2014, marking his third term in this role. With Modi approaching this significant age milestone, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge questioned the Prime Minister’s intentions regarding retirement, asking, “When will he move out? That issue is also before us. Will he go? Modi ji ousted all others. He has nothing to do with the country. He is only worried about his chair.”
Kharge also noted that Modi has historically removed veteran party leaders such as L. K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi in alignment with this perceived age limit.
The timing of Bhagwat’s comments drew attention due to both he and Modi being born in September 1950 – Bhagwat on September 11 and Modi on September 17. Speculation about Modi’s potential retirement coinciding with his 75th birthday further intensified as the May 2024 Lok Sabha elections approached.
However, Shah clarified in May 2023 that the BJP has no formal retirement clause within its constitution, asserting that “Modi ji will continue to lead till 2029. There’s no truth in retirement rumors. The INDIA bloc won’t win the upcoming elections with lies.”
Union Minister Rajnath Singh also firmly stated, “It was never decided. You can write in bold letters that no such decision was taken… Had it been decided, it would have been mentioned in the party constitution.”
In August, Bhagwat sought to quell concerns regarding Modi’s potential retirement, asserting, “I never said I will retire or that someone else should retire when they turn 75,” addressing the national capital.
