Mon Mar 31 09:07:00 UTC 2025: ## Fadnavis Rejects Claims of Modi’s September Retirement
**Nagpur, India** – Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has vehemently denied claims that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will step down in September, dismissing them as baseless speculation. These claims, fueled by Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, suggest that the Prime Minister, who turns 75 on September 17th, will adhere to an alleged, unspoken BJP rule regarding the age of party leaders holding ministerial positions.
Raut’s assertions follow a recent visit by Prime Minister Modi to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters, his first since becoming Prime Minister 11 years ago. Raut speculated that the visit was to discuss Modi’s succession, claiming the RSS, considered the BJP’s ideological mentor, desires a change in leadership and that Modi’s successor would be from Maharashtra.
Fadnavis strongly refuted these claims, stating that Modi will remain Prime Minister in 2029 and that discussions about succession while Modi is still in office are inappropriate, referring to them as “Mughal culture.” This remark was in reference to a separate controversy surrounding the tomb of Aurangzeb.
The BJP has officially denied the existence of any such age-related rule, pointing to the presence of 80-year-old Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi in the cabinet as evidence. Similar claims were previously made by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during last year’s elections, suggesting Home Minister Amit Shah as a potential successor—claims also denied by the BJP. The speculation surrounding Modi’s future intensified after his visit to the RSS headquarters, prompting the strong denials from Fadnavis.
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