Bhopal: The BJP leadership seemed to have been caught in a dilemma as to whether to introduce age bar rule in selection of candidates for the November 28 Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.

The demand to bar party leaders who have crossed 70 years of age from contesting the polls has been growing in the party, particularly from youth leaders.

Two senior ministers, former chief minister Babulal Gaur and Sartaz Singh, were dropped from the Shivraj Singh Chouhan Cabinet a few years ago for having crossed 75 years of age.

The party leadership has, however, yet to make it public if any such rule would be enforced in selection of candidates in the coming assembly elections in the state.

“There is a growing clamour in the party that leaders who have crossed the age of 70 years should be denied tickets to ensure that more new faces are fielded in the polls to counter the perceived anti-incumbency factor the party is facing currently.

The RSS leadership is to take a final call on it”, a senior BJP leader here, member of think tank of the party, said.

Sources said the party may dump the proposal to introduce age bar rule in selection of candidates to avoid the risk of losing seats. “As of now, the party is considering the winning prospects the sole criteria for selection of candidates. We can’t risk losing seats by dropping veterans,” a BJP leader said.

At least a couple of ministers, Kusum Mehedele and Gaurishankar Shejbar, in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan Cabinet are approaching the 70-plus club.

Besides, around ten sitting BJP MLAs have also crossed 70 years of age.

The state election committee of BJP was in the process of finalising candidates in 230 Assembly seats which would be sent to the parliamentary board of the party for final approval.