New Delhi: The "age row" was back in focus for Congress on Wednesday with senior leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi saying he would not like to take up active posts within the party after he turns 65 next year. Downplaying the matter, however, party spokesman Salman Khurshid said in a lighter vein that "I would have to see the calendar for myself". Khurshid is 61.
Facing a volley of questions on Chaturvedi's remarks, he said, "Let 2015 come first. Right now it is the struggle of 2014. People have their own views and ideas, which are expressed before you."
Chaturvedi reportedly said that he is of the view that the party elders should make way for the young generation. He said he has already told the party leadership that he will not be taking up any active post within Congress after turning 65 in January of next year.
At the same time, Chaturvedi made it clear that he will continue as a member of Rajya Sabha for the remaining period of four years. Chaturvedi is chief whip of Congress in Rajya Sabha.
His remarks come days after Congress was in the news over some of its senior leaders making comments through the media, leading to a virtual face-off between young AICC secretaries considered close to Rahul Gandhi and some senior general secretaries.
Party General Secretary (Organisation) Janardan Dwivedi had a fortnight back made remarks advocating an age bar of 65 to 70 years for taking up active posts in Congress. The remarks led to much tongue-wagging within the party and were interpreted as being indicative of a generational shift in Congress, which would pave the way for Rahul's young team to take over the reins.
Last week, another senior Congress leader, Digvijay Singh -- under attack from the young brigade of AICC secretaries for remarks on Rahul's style of functioning during Lok Sabha polls -- had made a strong pitch for "generational change".
"I support the demand of Secretaries of AICC. Generational change must happen. It has been a pleasure working with my secretaries in the AICC," Singh had said in a tweet. "Thank God younger generation of Congress now demanding generational change which I have been suggesting since (the) Burari AICC (session) in 2009 December," he had added. A number of senior AICC functionaries have either crossed 70 years of age or approaching it.
Party treasurer Motilal Vora is 85, Ambika Sonia, 71, Madhusudan Mistry, 69, Digvijay Singh, 67, Ghulam Nabi Azad, 65, CP Joshi, 64, and Mohan Prakash, 64. Besides, AK Antony is 73 years old, P Chidambaram is 68 and Sheila Dikshit, 76. All-India Congress Committee had earlier distanced itself from Dwivedi's remarks that leaders of 65 to 70 years of age should not take up active posts in the organisation. Singh, who has generally been at odds with Dwivedi, had supported him on the issue.
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