In what is being viewed as a step to clear the way for Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi to assume a larger role in national politics, the BJP is now looking at the option of denying Lok Sabha tickets to leaders aged 75 and above.
This move, intiated by former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, is now likely to be pursued by his successor Rajnath Singh, sources said. The RSS is also in favour of phasing out BJP leaders who refuse to retire from active politics despite their age. Top BJP leaders who fall in this bracket include L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.
Senior party leader Yashwant Sinha on Monday came out in the open, saying that the “BJP should declare Modi as its PM candidate”.
A section of the party and also some in the RSS believe Mr Advani “continues to nurture ambitions of becoming the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate”. Weeding out older leaders, it is felt, will also create space for the party’s younger generation.
With regard to the age factor, sources said the RSS has sent signals to Mr Rajnath Singh to hold discussions with party leaders and weed out leaders aged above 75. While Mr Advani was born in 1927, Dr Joshi was born in 1934. Mr Jaswant Singh, born in 1938, turned 75 this month.
With Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi all set to infuse young blood in his party, the BJP, which some surveys claim has a good chance of coming to power after the next general election, intends to promote its young leaders as well. Moreover, Mr Rajnath Singh, who held parleys with Mr Modi on his role at the central level, had described the Gujarat chief minister as “popular”.
Speaking about Mr Modi, Mr Yashwant Sinha said the “mood of the country and that of party workers” were in favour of declaring Mr Modi as PM candidate. “After careful thought, I have concluded that if the BJP declares Modi as its PM candidate, then the BJP will benefit hugely in the elections. It will have a big impact on voters. I have no doubt about this,” Mr Sinha said.