Overview
- Belur Gopalakrishna cited RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s reference to a 75-year retirement convention when recommending Union Minister Nitin Gadkari as the next prime minister
- The Karnataka legislator commended Gadkari’s development record and his connection with the common man, highlighting his work on highway infrastructure
- He accused the BJP of double standards by enforcing the 75-year norm on former Karnataka chief minister B. S. Yediyurappa while exempting Narendra Modi
- The BJP and RSS clarified that Bhagwat’s remark was historical rather than a directive and reiterated that Modi’s term runs through 2029
- With both Modi and Bhagwat reaching the informal retirement age in September 2025, questions over internal succession rules have intensified