Janardan Dwivedi
A day after Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi’s remarked that people in politics should not continue in active posts beyond 70 years of age, the party distanced itself, saying that “it is not the party’s view.” At the same time, party leader Digvijay Singh backed Mr Dwivedi.
Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said: “Let me make it clear. This is his view and he is certainly entitled to it... This is not the party view. This is not the party stand. This is his personal opinion.” His refrain was the same when asked whether Mr Dwivedi’s statement reflected that the Congress wants to follow the BJP’s model of creating “old-age home” for senior leaders, a taunt directed at the ruling party by the Congress when it dropped L.K. Advani, M.M. Joshi and Atal Behari Vajpayee from its parliamentary board.
Asked whether any disciplinary action will be taken against Mr Dwivedi on the issue as was taken against party leader Jagmeet Singh Brar, Mr Singhvi termed it a “totally incomparable comparison”.
To a specific question on whether the party considers Mr Dwivedi’s remarks as “breach of discipline”, Mr Singhvi said, “These are your views. I am not saying anything of this sort.”
A senior party leader speaking on condition of anonymity said that the sentiment expressed by Mr Dwivedi were not improper but it is not feasible to have any specific cut-offs in a large party like the Congress.
Party general secretary Digvijay Singh, speaking separately, backed Mr Dwivedi, saying that “change is the law of nature”. Mr Singh, who has generally been at odds with Mr Dwivedi, recalled that in the Burari AICC session 2010, he had pitched for a generational change in the party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. “I had said the same thing in Burari session. Congress always gives opportunity to the youth. Change is the law of the nature. In the modern management lexicon, it is called succession management. It should happen at every level from top to bottom. I am in favour it. It is high time for major changes in the organisational structure,” Mr Singh said.
The conflicting views in Congress have been aired at a time when there is a likelihood of a generational shift in the party to take on a resurgent BJP.
Mr Singh added, “We will do whatever we are asked to do. Antony Committee has given its report and the restructure should happen accordingly.”
Citing examples of various other fields where elders handover the responsibility to a young team, Dwivedi had said “similarly generational change is also necessary in politics. After certain age, people should not live on active posts in a political organization”.
Mr Dwivedi has at the same time said that he did not mean to say that people above 65 or 70 should retire from politics and that they can take other responsibilities that do not require hectic activities. To a question on whether he wants his 65 or 70 formulae also to be applicable to 67-year-old Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Dwivedi said that the post of Congress President and some others could be exceptions to it.
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