Kolkata: Amid the debate in his party over the call for fixing a retirement age for leaders, Trinamool Lok Sabha Member Kalyan Banerjee said on Thursday age was not a factor if someone enjoyed popular support. He was referring to the US President-elect Donald Trump who is on the verge of turning an octogenarian in two years.
Thursday was the birthday of TMC general secretary Abhishek Bandopadhyay who called for implementing a retirement age in politics citing a decline in work efficiency and productivity ahead of the Lok Sabha polls this year.
"In politics, age is not the factor, if one is capable of working for the people of the country and capable of discharging all functions, if he is popular among the people, then he can remain in politics," Banerjee said at the Kolkata Press Club, adding, "Trump won the election at the age of 78."
The four-time MP from Serampore refused to comment on party leader Kunal Ghosh and said, "Whatever was to be told has been told. I don't know how it will be interpreted."
But the comment has led to rumblings in the political landscape of Bengal as many are considering this as a veiled attack on Abhishek on the seniority question.
Many senior TMC leaders indirectly protested the general secretary's comment in the recent past and the latest salvo from Banerjee is considered to be one in line.
He, however, said, "When the party asks me to go, I will leave without getting into any controversy".
The fracas within the party reached such a level in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls that Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had to intervene, asking young members to respect senior leaders, and dismissing assertions that the veterans should retire from politics.
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