Abhishek Banerjee bats for upper age limit for political posts

Kolkata : Trinamool Congress’ national general secretary and the party Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee on Monday made a strong pitch for fixing an upper age limit for the party posts.

“I think that like in all other professions there should also be an upper age limit for the politicians. I know that the presence of the veterans and the seniors are necessary within the party for their experience. But at the same time there should be an upper age limit,” Banerjee said while speaking to the media persons at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata before leaving for his scheduled tour to North Bengal.

However, he did not give a direct answer when asked whether this age factor will be in consideration while selecting candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “That is for our leader Mamata Banerjee to decide. I will give my opinion if and when asked,” Banerjee said.

Stressing on his point in favour of an upper age limit in party leadership, he also said that since politics involves 24x7 responsibility it is not possible for someone to do that after a certain age.

On this point he also ridiculed Congress about its obsession towards aged leadership. “Probably because of hunger for power and position Congress does not want to allow young leaders in the forefront. The young leaders are always side-lined there. But I feel that if anyone has the capability he cannot be subdued for long,” Banerjee said.

Political observers view his comments as a sharp contrast to the recent observations by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a party’s organisation programme at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, where Abhishek Banerjee was not physically present.

Referring to veteran Trinamool Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Saugata Roy, the chief minister termed age as just a mental factor. “What is there in age? It is just in mind,” she said.

Now it is to be seen whether a contrasting observation by Abhishek Banerjee opens a new round of internal debate within Trinamool Congress.