BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh categorically said that Narendra Modi will become the prime minister in 2024, and even in 2029 as he brushed aside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's assertion that Modi will be retiring in 2025 when he turns 75.
"Being a senior BJP leader, I want to state it categorically. He (Modi) will become the prime minister in 2024 and 2029. No one can even comprehend this (Modi retiring at 75). The man has been responsible for raising India's stature in the world, and in strengthening India's economy," he told ANI news agency on Friday.
"Our economy has been growing faster, and even the international financial firms have been claiming that India's economy which was at 11th place jumped to 5th under Modi's rule. By 2027, India will be at third place. After America and China, India will be the next economic powerhouse. India has been inching closer to becoming a superpower. We aim to become a superpower not to bully anyone but for the welfare of the world," he added.
Singh was responding to Kejriwal's claims on May 16 that Prime Minister Modi has decided to make Amit Shah his successor.
Raking up his earlier claim about BJP's policy of retiring its leaders at the age of 75, Kejriwal said he expects Modi to follow this rule, adding that it was the PM who first introduced this policy.
"PM Modi will turn 75 on September 17, 2025. Modi has decided to make Amit Shah his successor and make him PM on September 17, 2025. For the past two or three years, he has been working on this. Those seen as a challenger to Amit Shah in the BJP have been gradually sidelined. They removed Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje, Raman Singh, Khattar, and Devendra Fadnavis. Now, only one person remains. And that is Yogi Adityanath."
Also read | 'Modi introduced retire at 75 rule, I am sure he will follow this': Arvind Kejriwal