BJP washes hands of Rahul episode

Embarassed by Rahul Mahajan's hospitalisation after a party, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday sought to wash its hands of the controversy saying it was a tragedy in the family of its late leader Pramod Mahajan and the BJP had nothing to do with it.

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Seeking to wriggle out of the situation emerging from reports linking Rahul's lifestyle with the party's values, BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said, "It is a tragedy of the family. The party has nothing to do with it. It can happen in any family."

She was talking to reporters after a meeting at Leader of Opposition Lal Kishenchand Advani's residence, which discussed among other things, the issue of the President returning the Office of Profit Bill to the Parliament.

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Swaraj claimed that the meeting did not discuss the Rahul Mahajan issue.

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In the manner in which the party does not celebrate the children of its leaders scoring high marks in examinations, it has nothing to do with their personal lives as well, she said.

Senior BJP leaders including party president Rajnath Singh had visited Rahul at the Apollo Hospital on Friday.

Prior to Rahul's hospitalisation, the late Mahajan's close aides and supporters were seeking a role for him in the party organisation while several senior leaders had expressed serious reservations on the grounds that he was not "cut out" for politics.