Retirement at 75? India RSS chief Bhagwat’s comment stirs BJP succession talk

Mohan Bhagwat, the paterfamilias of the Sangh Parivar and the Sarsanghchalak (chief) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — the mothership of the BJP — repeated a fervent article of faith of the organisation, saying that “leaders should retire at 75”. Bhagwat was speaking at a book release function in Nagpur, where the Sangh headquarters is also located, on June 11.

Bhagwat was speaking in Marathi but switched to Hindi to make this important point, ensuring his comments were widely understood and leaving no room for misinterpretation.