Mumbai: The crisis brewing within the Sangh Parivar following RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's recent remark that those who attain 75 years of age should make way for others has taken a new turn with senior BJP M.P. Nishikant Dubey claiming that minus PM Modi the BJP will not win even 150 seats in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Dubey, who is a four-time M.P. from Godda in Jharkhand, is known to have a powerful political antenna with close proximity to the powers that be in Delhi and his claim made during a pod interview given to news agency ANI appears to be a direct counter to Bhagwat's remark. Modi is turning 75 coming September and Bhagwat's observation is widely perceived to be aimed at the PM.
Dubey said Modi should continue for several more years. "As long as his body permits we will need his leadership to achieve our goal of a developed India by 2047," he said, referring to the PM.
Dubey's statement is a clear indication that Modi has no plan to step down when he attains 75 years. Sources in the RSS said Modi may be allowed to continue in office till Vijaydashami (October 2, 2025) when the Sangh will complete 100 years of its founding and after which the 75 years rule will be applied.
Though many in the BJP are not in alignment with Dubey's assertions, they feel that the open defiance of Bhagwat's suggestion will not be taken kindly by the rank and file of the Sangh Parivar. "Discipline is at the core of our organisation. And everybody should fall in line, however high the office they are holding," an RSS observer noted.
Cadres of the BJP also are upset with Dubey's suggestion that the BJP may need Modi and not vice versa. "Whatever Modi is today it is because of the lakhs of workers of the Sangh Parivar who slogged day and night for the success of the BJP in elections. It is true that the Modi factor played an important factor in our success, but to say that the PM does not need the BJP is extremely unfair," a source in the BJP noted.
The BJP had earlier criticised personality cult practised by the Congress, but later revised its stand when it felt that a face is needed to garner votes in India. It then started projecting Atal Behari Vajpayee and later Modi.
However, Modi now has his imprint all over the Sangh Parivar. So much so that the government at the Centre is called Modi sarkar and not BJP sarkar. All this is not to the liking of the RSS, which feels that important rules like the 75 year norm should be strictly implemented.
"The BJP's leitmotif 'Nation First, Party Second and Individual Third' should be taken seriously by all, including Modi," a political observer stated. Meanwhile, the BJP is yet to find a successor to JP Nadda as party president. The one year delay is attributed to the tussle between Modi and the RSS.
