Amit Shah says leaders over 60 must quit politics; PM Narendra Modi is aged 65

An ambiguous remark by Amit Shah has left interpreters confused with the BJP president saying that all leaders must take the example of the late Nanaji Deshmukh and quit politics after 60 to do social service.

"Nanaji Deshmukh set an example that leaders who are 60 years old and above must quit politics and do social work. Everyone must follow this," Amit Shah was quoted as saying by ANI.

Amit Shah might have targeted BJP veterans LK Advani, Murali Manohar Joshi, Yashwant Sinha and Shanta Kumar, who have questioned the ways of the Modi-Shah duo and the coterie around the two leaders.

However, the list of BJP leaders aged above 60 also includes some of his fellow party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is aged 65.

If one is to go by Amit Shah's comment, then almost all the top leaders of the BJP top brass must quit politics and take to social work.

These include union ministers such as Home Minister Rajnath Singh (64), Defence Minister VK Singh (64), External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (63), Finance Minister Arun Jailtley (62) Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu (66) and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar (64).

Earlier, the party elders such as Advani and Joshi had slammed PM Modi for the party's recent election debacle in Bihar. They said that the BJP has been "emasculated in the last year," and is being "forced to kowtow to a handful."

According to reports, the veterans also defended Bihar lawmakers Shatrughan Sinha and Bhola Singh, who criticised the BJP leadership after Bihar setback.