RSS Chief’s 75 remark sparks buzz over Modi’s future

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has triggered political speculation by suggesting that individuals should step aside upon turning 75, a statement many see as a veiled reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will reach that age in September. Speaking at a book launch in Nagpur, Bhagwat remarked, “When one turns 75, they should stop and make way for others,” prompting renewed debate over Modi’s political future and potential succession within the BJP.

VIDEO | Speaking at a book release function in Nagpur, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said:

"When you turn 75, it means you should stop now and make way for others."#RSS #Nagpur

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/yIfzL3Z56t

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 11, 2025

This is not the first time questions about PM Modi's retirement have surfaced. In March, after his rare visit to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, opposition leaders—including Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut—claimed it signaled his plans to retire. “He probably went to RSS headquarters to write his retirement application in September,” Raut had said, referencing the party’s informal precedent of easing leaders out of key roles after 75. However, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had dismissed such speculation, affirming that Modi would continue to lead India for “many more years.”In 2024, when former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal raised similar points, BJP president J P Nadda responded firmly, stating there was “no such provision regarding age” in the BJP constitution. Yet Bhagwat’s recent comment suggests that the ideological fountainhead of the BJP may not entirely align with that stance. Since Modi’s rise to power in 2014, several senior BJP leaders were sidelined after crossing 75, though the policy has been inconsistently applied—most notably when B S Yediyurappa was sworn in as Karnataka chief minister at the age of 76.