'Hard for Modi to defy Bhagwat's age 75 retirement script; RSS leaders never speak off the cuff'

As RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat hinted at his retirement at the age of 75, political chatter has exploded around whether the message was subtly aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who turns 75 this September.

In this exclusive interview with The Federal, senior journalist and author Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay examines the deeper RSS-BJP power dynamics and the possibility of a looming leadership transition.

Was Bhagwat’s remark on retirement at 75 a personal anecdote or a strategic signal to Modi?

RSS leaders never speak off the cuff. What sounds like an anecdote usually carries layered messaging. At the book launch of senior RSS functionary Moropant Pingale—closely linked to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement—Bhagwat said Pingale believed that after 75, one must step aside from official roles.

He used a metaphor: when people begin draping shawls over your shoulders, it’s time to step down and serve in other ways. That message was deliberate.

Bhagwat turns 75 on September 11. Modi turns 75 six days later, on September 17. The message seems clear: this could mark the beginning of a transition from the Modi-Bhagwat era. It won’t happen overnight, but I expect movement between September 2025 and September 2026—starting with the RSS leadership.

Also read | Why September 2025 could be make or break for Narendra Modi

That transition will put pressure on Modi to also contemplate succession, though in BJP and RSS culture, it won’t be a monarchical declaration but a broader conversation.

Given past precedents with leaders like Advani and Joshi, is the PM being nudged to follow the same path?

Absolutely. While the 75-age rule isn’t written down anywhere, it became an unwritten code after being articulated by Bhagwat himself before Modi rose to power.

Post-2014, leaders like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Shanta Kumar, and Yashwant Sinha were eased out of electoral contention after crossing that threshold. They were denied Lok Sabha tickets and stripped of roles. It was a silent purge.

Yes, there were exceptions—BS Yediyurappa became Karnataka CM even after 75—but Bhagwat’s statement now makes it very hard for Modi to avoid similar expectations, especially if Bhagwat steps down during the RSS’s centenary year.

Bhagwat took over as a sarsanghchalak in 2009. If he bows out after 16 years of leadership, it sets the tone for a generational handover in both the RSS and BJP. It will be very hard for Modi to defy that script.

Is this a sign of deeper ideological or generational tensions between RSS and the Modi-Shah BJP—especially post-2024 elections?

A rift between the RSS leadership and Modi has existed for some time—one of the worst-kept secrets in Indian politics. Until the Ram Mandir consecration in January 2024, things were on track. Modi led the ceremony, practically as the priest-king of a Hindu Rashtra.

But when the BJP campaign pivoted to a hyper-personalised ‘Modi ki guarantee’ narrative, RSS pulled back. It felt Modi had crossed a line, making the campaign more about himself than the organisation or ideology.

RSS sent a message: if Modi claims all the credit, let him also own the result. Their reduced involvement in the campaign made its impact felt—BJP couldn’t secure a majority.

Since then, there have been attempts at a patch-up. RSS worked hard in the Assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, and even Delhi to deliver BJP victories. But when Modi again tried to own the success of Operation Sindhu, tensions resurfaced. Fundamental issues remain unresolved.

A key symptom is the BJP’s delay in replacing JP Nadda, whose extended tenure signals paralysis at the top and reflects that the transition debate is unresolved.

Is this sparking a real succession debate in the BJP—or just fuelling Opposition talking points?

It’s doing both. The Opposition has latched onto Bhagwat’s remark, using it to corner Modi. They’ve framed it as Bhagwat showing Modi the exit door.

And make no mistake—if Modi disregards this message and clings on, it will worsen RSS-BJP tensions. More confrontations will follow, not behind closed doors but out in the open.

Bhagwat’s statement has triggered the succession debate—within and outside the party. If ignored, it could unravel into a more public RSS versus BJP conflict.

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