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Congress today dismissed as "personal view" Jairam Ramesh's suggestion that a retirement age of 70 years be fixed for leaders in his party and called for elders to become advisors and make way for youngsters.
"Ramesh is a senior leader. It may be his views. The party believes that experience and youth together will propel the country forward," Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters.
Ramesh, who is the minister for rural development and is widely perceived to be close to Rahul Gandhi, said in an interview that if and when the Congress vice-president becomes PM, he will have a "young Cabinet", effectively ruling the old guard out of Congress scheme of things.
"A generational change is absolutely essential to renew any organisation. Otherwise, an organisation will ossify. There is no doubt that in Congress there is a generational shift taking place... This is to be welcomed. This is to be encouraged," Ramesh, who will turn 60 next month, had said.
Ramesh's 70-year marker could pretty much exclude several Cabinet heavyweights in the UPA government, starting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, from contesting elections and becoming ministers.
The Prime Minister at 81 years, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde at 72 and Defence Minister A K Antony at 73 years have all crossed the retirement age suggested by Ramesh. The same applies to a number of other Union Ministers and senior leaders includig Chief Ministers.
The generational change in Congress got underway last year with Congress President Sonia Gandhi handing over the levers of organisational power to her son.
