Kaul Singh Thakur says politicians above 75 years must retire

Vijyender Sharma

SHIMLA----Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur today raked up a controversy by stating that he felt the politicians above 75 years must retire so that second-rung leadership could develop and get an opportunity and the 2017 Assembly elections would be his last one.

"The 2017 elections will be my last one as I feel that one must retire so that the younger lot also gets an opportunity," said the 70-year leader who is the strongest contender for the post of the Chief Minister. He has won eight of the nine Assembly elections he has contested and has been the state Congress president on two occasions. He has also had a stint as the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha.

Kaul, considered an arch rival of Virbhadra Singh, said he had even apprised the party high command that this would be his last election. His remarks come at a time when Virbhadra Singh is passing through the most difficult phase of his political life with the CBI registering a disproportionate assets case against him.

It was almost a decade back that Kaul had echoed similar sentiments about the retirement age of politicians. His remarks today came in response to query about his own retirement plans as indicated by him in the past.

Incidentally, Virbhadra is 82-year-old and Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes is 87. It is bound to become an issue for discussion among party circles. There are still two more years for the Virbhadra regime to complete its term but with the Chief Minister being under tremendous pressure owing to his legal hassles, such talk could lead to further bickering.

A dissident leader

• Kaul Singh, who was the HPCC president in 2012, was removed by the high command to accommodate Virbhadra who was given the reins of the party just before the polls in December 2012. He is also seen as one of the strongest dissident leaders who has on more than one occasion dissented on various issues with the Chief Minister.